Eva Longoria, the actress and director, has highlighted the issue of underrepresentation of Latinos and women in film direction during promotions for her latest film, “Flamin’ Hot,” at the Cannes Film Festival. She said that while some progress had been made in increasing diversity, the industry still had a long way to go. Longoria said that white male directors were given multiple chances to recover from failure, while women and Latino directors were often given only a single opportunity. The situation could be improved, she said, by giving better representation to Latinas in particular. Longoria called for an increase in the number of Latina-directed movies in the industry to prove that “Latino stories work” and demonstrate that female directors can be equally as successful.
Longoria’s film, “Flamin’ Hot,” tells the story of Richard Montanez, a Mexican-American janitor who claims to have created the popular Flamin’ Hot Cheetos snack. Longoria directed and produced the film as a representation of her community’s generational traumas. Montanez’s story has been a part of the journey that Longoria has embarked on to bring more Latinx narratives to the screen. During promotions, she emphasized that the success or failure of the film would have a far-reaching impact on the opportunities available to other Latinas and female directors in the future.
Longoria spoke about the challenges that minority filmmakers face when they tackle larger budget projects and noted that she does not have a hundred-million-dollar budget for her film. Longoria also noted that there has not been a Latina-directed studio film for around 20 years in the industry, saying, “We can’t get a movie every 20 years.” She described how films directed by minorities are not allowed the same margin of error and support as their white male counterparts, who can continue to direct massive-budget movies even after a flop. Longoria added that the underrepresentation of Latino and female directors in the industry remains an issue, citing that representation of Latinos has dropped from 7% to 5% between 2017 and 2022.
Longoria’s comments reflect the concerns of other members of the industry calling for more diversity and inclusion. The Hollywood Reporter’s “Raising Our Voices” event, an event that highlights diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility in the entertainment sector, is honoring Longoria as a 2023 Trailblazer. The event coincides with The Hollywood Reporter’s annual Forces for Change Power List, which recognizes entertainment industry figures whose work creates jobs and opportunities for people from historically underrepresented communities. The event is sponsored by the Golden Globes.
In conclusion, Longoria has called for better representation of Latinas in film direction and highlighted the importance of increasing opportunities for female and minority directors in Hollywood. Her film, “Flamin’ Hot,” is a testament to her desire to bring Latinx narratives to the screen and address generational trauma while highlighting the underrepresentation and lack of opportunities facing minority filmmakers in the US film industry.
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