Description
Director Gregory Nava is interviewed by Lourdes Portillo at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills for a two-part interview on June 16, 2015, and March 9, 2016. This is a co-production with the Getty Foundation’s Pacific Standard Time: LA/LA initiative and is part of the project From Latin America to Hollywood: Latino Film Culture in Los Angeles 1967-2017. Nava shares stories about growing up in San Diego, California, and talks about his family’s frequent trips to Southern California movie houses. He discusses his introduction to filmmaking by borrowing his brother’s 8mm camera to film shorts based on comic book characters. Nava reminisces about discovering his cultural roots that resulted in a profound spiritual experience during a family trip to Guadalajara, Mexico, at the age of sixteen.
He recalls attending UC Berkeley and transferring to UCLA’s film school, where he shot his Project One film The Journal of Diego Rodriguez Silva (1972). Nava muses on how UCLA’s politically charged climate influenced the film and details his guerrilla-style directorial approach. He discusses his next project, The Confessions of Amans (1977), recalling the challenges faced for the film’s initial distribution. He notes how Roger Ebert’s public support of The Confessions of Amans was a turning point that eventually led to a limited theatrical run for the film.
Nava recounts the production of El norte (1983) and his experiences filming under life-threatening conditions in Chiapas, Mexico, and describes his disbelief in receiving an Academy Award nomination for Original Screenplay for the film. He details his first attempt at big-budget Hollywood filmmaking with A Time of Destiny (1988), which he confesses was the most difficult film of his career. He reflects on a return to themes of Latin American drama with My Family, Mi Familia (1995), which included his first collaboration with Jennifer Lopez, who had a small role. Nava goes on to describe their next project, Selena (1997). He praises Lopez’ performance and lauds her portrayal as the greatest in the history of musical biopics.
He discusses the making of the PBS television series “American Family” (2002-2004) and directing Lopez for a third time in the sleeper Bordertown (2007). He shares his thoughts on Latinos facing discrimination in (and out of) Hollywood, remarking that cultural authenticity is the key to breaking the glass ceiling. Nava closes with opinions on 21st century Mexican immigration reform, expressing his optimism for tolerance and hopes that Latinos “will rise to the occasion…I know that our moment has come.”
(jtakahashi 7/21/17)
