Directors: A.P. Gonzalez, David Rodriguez, Luis Valdez, Sylvia Morales, Jesus Trevino, and Norberto Barba Photo: Enrique Castillo
The prestigious DGA Latino Committee celebrated 23 years since it founding in 1990. Held in the transformed lobby of the Directors Guild of America, the attendee were treated to a night of networking at its best with some of Hollywood’s top players and a delicious sit down dinner. The highlight of the evening was the Q&A between the founders of the Latino Committee, directors Jesus Trevino (Criminal Minds, Resurrection Blvd.), Sylvia Morales, (Resurrection Blvd.) Jose Luis Ruiz (Founder of the NLCC), and Luis Valdez (La Bamba, Zoot Suit), (Frank Zuniga was also slated to be there but was unable to make it).
Interviewing the founders were Norberto Barba (Grimm), A.P. Gonzalez, (Fausto’s Road), Dennis Leoni (Resurrection Blvd.), Linda Mendoza (Welcome to the Family) and David Rodriguez (The Blue Wall)
Actor Sal Lopez, Producer David Valdez and producer/writer Dennis Leoni, Latin Heat’s Bel Hernandez, producer Debra Leoni, and actor/writer Enrique Castillo
The evening celebrated the history and accomplishments of the Latino Committee and was moderated by Michael DeLorenzo with opening remarks by Co-Chair Betty Kaplan. Co-Chairs A.P. Gonzalez and Alicia Rivera Frankel, along with Kaplan heading the effort to bring such a successful event together.
For over twenty-two years the DGA Latino committee has maintained the focus on providing networking opportunities while presenting their work to the general membership, studios and networks executives.
One of the gems shared during the evening was that in 1990 when the founders conceived the committee, it was the first “ethnic” committee in any of the entertainment guilds. From there the Writer’s Guild of America, the Screen Actors Guild and other entertainment entities followed suit and created their own ethnic committees not just Latino but African-American, Asian, Women, and all the special group committees. The honorees are true trailblazers for this industry.
An inspirational evening!
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