LATINOS BEYOND REEL Screening and Discussion Set for Moving Image Today

As part of its ongoing series Changing the Picture, sponsored by Time Warner, Inc., Museum of the Moving Image will present the documentary film Latinos Beyond Reel: Challenging a Media Stereotype followed by a town-hall discussion about the role of Latinos in the media and the obstacles they face in representation within mainstream culture. The program, today, April 28, at 5:30 p.m., will feature appearances by Miguel Picker, co-director of Latinos Beyond Reel; actress Liza Colón-Zayas (Law and Order: SVU, Louie); actor Tony Plana (Ugly Betty, Three Amigos, Resurrection Blvd.); Maria Agui Carter, Chair, National Association of Latino Independent Producers; and will be moderated by Museum trustee Warrington Hudlin. The program was organized by independent filmmaker Edwin Pagan, a producer of Latinos Beyond Reel.

Latinos are the fastest-growing segment of the United States, accounting for one-sixth of the entire population. Yet across the American media landscape, from the broadcast airwaves to cable television and Hollywood film, the reality and richness of the Latino experience are virtually nowhere to be found. Latinos Beyond Reel, directed by Miguel Picker and Chyng Sun, examines how American film and television portrays-and does not portray-Latinos. Actors, directors, producers, scholars, journalists, community leaders uncover a world in which Latinos tend to appear, if at all, as gangsters and Mexican bandits, harlots and prostitutes, drug dealers and welfare-leeching illegals. The film challenges viewers to think critically about the wide-ranging effects of these media stereotypes, and to envision alternative representations and models of production more capable of capturing the humanity and diversity of real Latinos. The film (2012, 84 mins) features interviews with Latino filmmakers and journalists including Juan Gonzalez, AdrIan Martinez, Isabel Molina, Chon Noriega, Alex Rivera, and others.

Earlier in the afternoon, on April 28, at 2:00 p.m. the Museum will present a special screening of a recently restored version of West Side Story, one of the first Hollywood musicals to feature a largely Latino cast. The screening will be introduced by four of the film's cast members, Eddie Verso (Juano), David Bean (Tiger), Bert Michaels (Snowboy), and Harvey Evans (Mouthpiece), followed by a book signing ofOur Story: Jets and Sharks Then and Now.

Tickets for Latinos Beyond Reel and town-hall discussion are free with Museum admission ($12 adults / $9 seniors and students / $6 children 3-12) and for Museum members on a first-come, first-served basis. Only Museum members may reserve tickets in advance. For information about Museum membership and to join, visit http://movingimage.us/support/membership or call 718 777 6877.

"It has been a long, slow process for the American film and television industries to bring genuine diversity to their storytelling," said the Museum's Chief Curator, David Schwartz. "Changing the Picture celebrates the pioneering work of the directors, writers, and actors of color who have brought new stories to the screen."

About Changing the Picture, sponsored by Time Warner, Inc.
This ongoing series celebrates and explores the work of film and television artists of color who are bringing diverse voices to the screen. The series, which consists of screenings and discussions with directors, writers, actors, scholars, and more, includescontemporary work as well as historically significant work that have played an important role in the evolving attempt to "change the picture" and bring a wider variety of voices and visions to the moving image. Past programs in Changing the Picture include a preview screening of Man with the Iron Fists and discussion with director RZA; screening of Middle of Nowhere with director Ava DuVernay in person; the panel discussion, The Outsider in Science Fiction: African American and Latino Perspectives, featuring Walter Mosley, Sam Delany, Alex Rivera, Lawrence Oliver Cheery, and Lola Salvador; and Making Roots, Making TV History, a discussion with Ben Vereen, Lou Gossett, Jr., LeVar Burton, and Leslie Uggams, moderated by Donald Thoms (PBS).

Museum of the Moving Image (http://movingimage.us) advances the understanding, enjoyment, and appreciation of the art, history, technique, and technology of film, television, and digital media. Accessible, innovative, and forward-looking, the Museum presents exhibitions, education programs, significant moving-image works, and interpretive programs, and maintains a collection of moving-image related artifacts.

Hours: Wednesday-Thursday, 10:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Friday, 10:30 to 8:00 p.m. Saturday-Sunday, 11:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Closed Monday and Tuesday except for select holiday openings and special programs.
Film Screenings: Friday evenings, Saturdays and Sundays, and as scheduled. Unless otherwise noted, screenings are included with Museum admission.
Museum Admission: $12.00 for adults (18+); $9.00 for senior citizens and for students (13+) with ID; $6.00 for children ages 3-12. Children under 3 and Museum members are admitted free. Admission to the galleries is free on Fridays, 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. Tickets for special screenings and events may be purchased in advance by phone at 718 777 6800 or online.
Location: 36-01 35 Avenue (at 37 Street) in Astoria.
Subway: M (weekdays only) or R to Steinway Street. Q (weekdays only) or N to 36 Avenue.
Program Information: Telephone: 718 777 6888; Website: movingimage.us.
Membership: 718 777 6877, members@movingimage.us

Pictured: The Treasure of the Sierra Madre; Fort Apache, The Bronx; Scarface