A Selective Guide to Latino/a Videos
redline

by Lori Foulke 
MC Journal: The Journal of Academic Media Librarianship, v.6 #1, Spring 1998. 

Multiculturalism is the term commonly used to refer to populations within the United States of diverse or mixed cultural heritage and is most frequently used to refer to four specific groups: African Americans, Asian Americans, Latinos, and Native Americans. Videos that represent multicultural or minority groups within the United States are frequently classified as alternative media (Goldman 1993), are often independently produced and distributed, and thus present certain challenges to media specialists, subject bibliographers, and teaching faculty wishing to identify appropriate materials for use in the classroom. The present work is an attempt to provide a representative sampling of recent and notable videos about Latinos/as in the United States. Videos about Latinos/as are of particular interest not only because this is the most rapidly growing multicultural group in the US but because of the increased interest in ethnic studies curricula in universities and colleges around the nation. 

Identifying multicultural videos may involve a bit of legwork and the use of a variety of sources, including: multicultural subject guides, video distributor catalogs, video directories, and periodicals which review videos and other media (Goldman 1993). Collection development in the area of Latino/a video is particularly challenging for two additional reasons: 1) the relative lack of Latino/a materials produced and 2) the problem of defining Latino/a and other terms that describe this heterogeneous group. 

THE RELATIVE LACK OF LATINO/A VIDEOS

In her 1976 volume, A Filmography of the Third World, Helen W. Cyr identified films for four specific multicultural populations in the US -- 373 entries for African Americans, 193 for Native Americans, 19 for Asian Americans, and 57 for Latinos. In the 1985 edition, Cyr identified an additional 135 entries for African Americans, 135 for Native Americans, 20 for Asian Americans, and 38 for Latinos. As in her first volume, Cyr laments the lack of films dealing with Latino populations in the US: "The relatively poor production achievement of films about Latinos, the fastest growing group of them all, is a serious lapse that must be remedied. I hope the proportional gap evidenced in this book will serve as a prod to new efforts in the field" (Cyr 1985, ix). Has progress been made since Cyr's call for additional attention to Latino issues in film and video? A videography compiled by Phyllis Levy Mandell in 1992, covering the time period from 1985-1992, contained 92 titles related to Hispanic-Americans. While Mandell's videography would seem to indicate an increase in the number of videos on Latinos, a substantial number of the titles included deal with Latin American peoples and cultures rather than Latinos specifically. 

THE PROBLEM OF DEFINING LATINOS/AS

There is some confusion in the United States about the term Latinos and those to whom the label is applied. In general, the term Latino/a refers to residents of the US with roots in Latin America. The o/a ending indicates the differences in the Spanish language between gendered forms of the same word. The term Latinos/as contrasts to the term Latin Americans, which pertains to peoples living in countries of Latin America, including Mexico, Central America, South America, and the Caribbean. Latino/a is the term of preference in academia and is also the preferred term among many immigrant groups of Latin American origin, although "Hispanic" is the preferred term of the US Government. Like Latino/a, Hispanic refers to people of Latin American origin. The US government currently gathers and classifies statistics on Hispanics on the basis of national origin rather than on categories of race or ethnicity. Within the category "Hispanic," separate statistics are tabulated for the following designated categories: Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Central and South American, and Other Hispanic. 

The term "Hispanic" is considered problematic by some, largely for linguistic, ethnic and political reasons. The term Hispanic might be considered objectionable because it ignores or obscures non-Spanish speaking populations such as those who speak indigenous Indian languages, or the French and Portuguese speaking populations in the Caribbean and South American. Likewise, it obscures the populations descended from slaves brought to the New World from Africa during the colonial period. Additionally, many Latinos prefer a label which refers to the region they feel culturally linked to -- Latin America -- rather than to Spain -- the place of origin of their colonizers. Indeed, some feel the term Hispanic denies the diversity of indigenous and hybrid cultures in Latin America, implying a pure cultural heritage derived exclusively from Spain. Of course, objections have also been raised against the use of any "panethnic" term -- including Latino -- which treats diverse cultural groups as a single monolithic category (see for example de la Campa 1994 and de la Garza 1993). 

While Latino/a is a blanket term which may be used to refer to all immigrants from Latin America and their descendants, Latinos do not share a single culture or identity. In fact, there exists a range of alternative terms which apply to different Latino groups, and even multiple terms that apply within one of these categories of origin. The large number of terms may be confusing to those trying to identify Latino media materials, and their use in video titles and synopses may make Latino materials difficult to identify. A few common examples are presented here. Latinos of Mexican origin are most frequently called "Mexican Americans" but they may be identified by other terms, among them "Chicanos/as," a term which carries particular political connotations tied to the Mexican-American civil rights movement in the late 1960s. Alternatively, Mexican Americans who have settled in Texas may prefer to be called "Tejano/a," a reflection not only of where they live but the unique blend of Tex-Mex culture and ethnicity that has developed there and with which they identify. Puerto Ricans may be called "Puertorriquenos/as" while New Yorkers of Puerto Rican descent may call themselves "Nuyorican" to make the distinction between themselves and immigrants that have recently arrived in the US. Cubans may refer to themselves as Cubanos/as. (Melville 1994, 90-92; Weaver 1994, 17-18 ). These are but a few examples of the numerous terms that may be used to describe various Latino groups or that Latinos may use to describe themselves - they represent attempts to identify their ethnicities or backgrounds more specifically, to reflect the unique spaces they occupy within immigrant populations in the US, and to differentiate themselves from other Latino groups and recent (sometimes illegal) immigrants. 

LATINO/A DEMOGRAPHICS

The Latino/a population is the most rapidly growing of the multicultural populations in the US, totaling 27,000,000 in 1994, roughly 10 percent of the entire US population. People claiming Mexican descent make up approximately 61 percent of this Latino population, followed by Puerto Rican (12%), Cuban (5%), Central American (6%), South American (5%), and Dominican, Spanish, and "other" Hispanics (6%) (U.S. Department of Commerce 1993,4). There are large concentrations of Latinos in certain areas within the United States, particularly in Texas, New York, California, and Florida. Other states with large Latino populations include Illinois, New Jersey, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado and Massachusetts (U.S. Department of Commerce 1993,3). 

The Latino/a population increased at a rate seven times higher than the rest of the United States population during the 1980s. According to the Bureau of the Census, approximately 2 million Latin Americans immigrated to the US between 1990 and 1994 (U.S. Department of Commerce 1994,1). Of all Latinos/as living in the US, nearly 64 percent were born in the US, with an additional 11 percent becoming naturalized citizens (U.S. Department of Commerce 1993,6). 

RECENT AND NOTABLE VIDEOS ABOUT LATINOS/AS

Videos were identified using several video distributors' web sites (listed in the section following the videos), Media Review Digest, The Video Source Book, Bowker's Complete Video Directory, the NICEM Database (http://www.nicem.com/), and published subject guides and mediagraphies which address the topic of Latino film and video. This videography is not intended to be exhaustive, but rather focuses on videos produced since 1990 and on older videos that have won awards or recognition for excellence. Older films and videos that have been re-released since 1990 are also included in a few instances. Information on older videos and films can be found in other sources (Center for Southern Folklore 1976 and 1982, Cyr 1976 and 1985, Heider and Hermer 1995, Mandell 1992, and Jiménez 1992). Emphasis is placed on videos appropriate for college- level instruction; therefore, videos geared to younger audiences are excluded. An effort was made to include videos that treat Latinos as a broad group as well as those dealing with particular Latino groups such as Mexican Americans, Puerto Ricans, and Cubans. Where appropriate, the more specific label is used. 

Videos with a social science perspective (sociological, anthropological/ethnographic, or political) are the main focus of this list, but some humanities titles have been included. Entertainment and feature films are generally excluded. For information on video and film production by Latinos or representation of Latinos in entertainment and feature films, see Fregoso (1993) and List (1996). 

The following symbols may appear in video entries: * Indicates an award was won by the video. + Indicates a favorable review of the video was published in the periodical(s) indicated, as reported by the video distributor. R Indicates an older video or film has been re-released. 

Videos are in English, unless otherwise indicated. 
500 Años de la Historia Chicana (500 Years of Chicana History in Pictures). 1997. Collision Course Video Productions. 60 min., color, VHS. Spanish. $52.50 institutional purchase, $37.50 individual purchase. 
Traces the history of Mexican Americans from pre-Columbian times to the present. Based on the bilingual book, 500 Years of Chicano History in Pictures. Includes a discussion guide for teachers. See Also: Viva la Causa! 

*AIDS in the Barrio. 1990. Cinema Guild. 28 min., color, VHS. Purchase: $250 Rental: $50. 
Gold Medal, John Muir Medical Film Festival; Most Creative Entry, John Muir Medical Film Festival. + Booklist; Library Journal; Video Rating Guide for Libraries. 
Examines the impact of AIDS within Latino communities, and the cultural factors which shape their understanding of AIDS. 

AIDS, Teens, and Latinos. 1993. Films for the Humanities & Sciences. 28 min., color, VHS. Purchase: $149.00 Rental: $75.00. 
+ Video Rating Guide for Libraries. 
Traces the major factors contributing to the high incidence of teen HIV infection and teenage pregnancy in the Latino population. 

Adelante, Mujeres! 1996. Women Make Movies Inc. 30 min., color, VHS. $60.00 rental, $195.00 purchase 
Examines the history of Mexican-American women from the arrival of the Spanish to the present day. Originally issued in 1992 by National Women's History Project. 

Americas (series). 1993. WGBH / WGBH Educational Foundation. 10 parts, 60 min. each, color, VHS. CC. Purchase: $299.00. 
This 10-part series explores the social and political history of the countries in Central America, South America, and the Caribbean. Focuses on Latin Americans in those countries as well as on Latino immigrants in the U.S. Series includes supplementary teaching materials: textbook, anthology, essays, study guide and instructor's guide. 

The Americas: The Latin American and Caribbean Presence in the United States. 1993. WGBH / WGBH Educational Foundation. 60 min., color, VHS. CC. Series: Americas series, Number 10. $39.95. 
Examines Latino and Caribbean populations in California, Miami and New York City. 

America's Promise: Who's Entitled to What?. Films for the Humanities & Sciences. 4-part series, 29 min. each, color, VHS. Purchase: $325.00. 
This four-part series focuses on welfare reform and immigrants. The series includes: Immigration: Promise and Hope for Generations; Immigration: Who Has Access to the American Dream?; Welfare Reform: Social Impact; Welfare Reform: Social Responsibility. 

The Art of Resistance. 1994. Cinema Guild. 26 min., color, VHS. Purchase: $250 Rental: $55. 
+Video Rating Guide for Libraries. 
Examines the contemporary Chicano art movement and its political beginnings during the late 1960s. 
*Ballad of an Unsung Hero. 1983. Cinema Guild. 28 min., color, 16mm film/ VHS. Purchase: 16mm $425/video $250 Rental: $55. 
-or- 
1983. NLCC. Personal Use $24.95; Institutional Use with PPR $75.00. 
Blue Ribbon, American Film Festival; CINE Golden Eagle Award. 
+ Sightlines (Educational Film Library Association); Booklist. 
Chronicles the life Pedro J. Gonzalez, who served with Pancho Villa during the Mexican Revolution, went on to become a musician in Los Angeles, and was later deported to Mexico. 

Biculturalism and Acculturation Among Latinos. 1991. Films for the Humanities & Sciences. 28 min., color, VHS. Purchase: $149.00 Rental: $75.00. 
+ Video Rating Guide for Libraries; The American Film & Video Review. 
Explores the competing societal pressures on Latinos to retain their cultural heritage or to assimilate into U.S. culture. 

Birthright: Growing Up Hispanic. 1989. Cinema Guild. 57 min., color, VHS. Purchase: $295 Rental: $90. 
+Video Rating Guide for Libraries, Choice, American Film and Video Association Evaluations. 
"Cheech" Marin interviews several Latino writers and explores how their work reflects their experiences as Latinos living in the U.S. 

Builders of Images: Latin American Cultural Identity. 1993. WGBH / WGBH Educational Foundation. 60 min., color, VHS. CC. Series: Americas series, Number 7. $39.95. 
Examines the works of a Puerto Rican writer, a Brazilian singer, a Mexican playwright and performer, and an Argentine filmmaker. Highlights the influence of Latin American creative artists on Latino identity. 

The Buried Mirror: Reflections on Spain and the New World. 1991. NLCC. 5 videocassettes, 59 min. each, color, VHS. Personal use $99.95; Institutional use with PPR $249.95 
Program V, Unfinished Business. 
Cultural, artistic, and musical contributions of Latinos to U.S. culture. 
Cesar Chavez. 1995. Library Video Company. 30 min., color and B&W, VHS. Purchase: $39.95. 
Available in both English and Spanish. Series: Hispanic And Latin American Heritage Video Collection. 
Chronicles the role of Cesar Chavez in founding the United Farm Workers of America. 

Challenging Hispanic Stereotypes: Arturo Madrid. 1994. Films for the Humanities & Sciences. 30 min., color, VHS. Purchase: $89.95. 
Features Arturo Madrid, discussing his views on bilingual education. Hosted by Bill Moyers. 

Chicana. R 1990, Women Make Movies. 23 min., color, VHS. Originally released as a motion picture in 1979. Purchase: $250.00 Rental: $60.00 
Traces the roles of Mexicanas/Chicanas from pre-Columbian times to the present, highlighting the important contributions these women have made. Based on a slide presentation written and created by Anna Nieto-Gomez. 

*Chicano!: History of the Mexican American Civil Rights Movement. 1996, NLCC. 4 videocassettes, 240 min., color and B&W, VHS. CC. $220.00; educator's kit with CD-ROM $275.00; personal use boxed set $69.95. Includes program index, four-color poster/viewing guide, teaching and resource guide. 
Nosotros 1997 Golden Eagle Award for Outstanding Documentary; 1997 Imagen Award for Informational Programming. 
+ Los Angeles Times 
Each video focuses on a major theme in the Mexican American experience: land, labor, educational reform, and political empowerment. Originally broadcast on PBS as a series. This video has its own web site, maintained by PBS: http://www.pbs.org/chicano/. The web site includes biographies for Chicanos/as featured in the series, a time line of Mexican American history, teaching and learning resources, links to related web sites, and a Viewers' Forum maintained by CLNet (Chicano/LatinoNet) (http://www.latino.sscnet.ucla.edu/). 

*Chicano Park. 1989. Cinema Guild. 60 min., color, 16mm film/VHS. Purchase: 16mm $795/video $350 Rental: $90 
Gold Plaque, Chicago International Film Festival; Gold Award, Houston International Film Festival; CINE Golden Eagle Merit; Merit Award, Latin American Studies Association Best of Northern California Award, National Educational Film and Video Festival. 
+ Sightlines (American Film and Video Association); La Red (National Chicano Council on Higher Education); American Film and Video Association Evaluations. 
Chicano Park, within San Diego's Mexican-American community, became the focus for community revitalization in the 1970s and '80s. Features some of the Latinos who were instrumental to the revitalization. 

Chulas Fronteras ; and, Del Mero Corazon (Straight from the heart : love songs of the Southwest). R 1994, Brazos Films -or- NLCC. 90 min., color, VHS. Videos previously issued individually in 1976. English and Spanish, with subtitles. Purchase: $29.99. 
Chulas Fronteras documents the music and culture of Mexican-Americans living in the southern Texas-Mexico border region. Del Mero Corazon focuses on the Mexican-American norteno music tradition. 

The Columbus Legacy (Series). 1992. Pennsylvania State University, Media Sales. 128 min., color, VHS. Series: Columbus legacy series. Purchase: $480.00. 
A 15 - part series commemorating the 500th anniversary of Columbus' journeys to the Americas. Each video highlights an ethnic group which has shaped life in Pennsylvania: Lenape Indians, Irish, Poles, Slovaks, Welsh, Koreans, Jews, Italians, Scotch-Irish, Germans, African-Americans, Vietnamese, Greeks, Swedes and Puerto Ricans. 

The Culture of Poverty. 1991. Films for the Humanities & Sciences. 26 min., color, VHS. Purchase: $89.95. 
Explores efforts to assist and educate Latino children who have been raised in poverty and strategies to keep them from repeating the cycle. 
*Displaced in the New South. 1995. UCMIL. 57 min., color, VHS. Purchase: $225, Rental: $70 
Natl. Educational Film Festival Award; Latin American Studies Assoc. Award of Merit; Worldfest Houston Gold Medal; Chicago Latino Film Festival honoree; Atlanta Film Festival honoree. 
This documentary explores the culture clash in communities near Atlanta, Georgia caused by a massive influx of Asian and Latin American immigrants in the 1980s and early 1990s. 
Farmworkers' Diary. 1991. UCMIL. 10 min., color, VHS. Purchase: $99, Rental: $40. 
Documents a typical day in the life of Latino farmworkers in California. 

*The Fight in the Fields: Cesar Chavez and the Farmworkers' Struggle. 1996. Paradigm Productions. 115 min., color, VHS. Optional educational package with book, poster, and study guide. To order: 800- 903-7804. For pricing and availability see: http://www.paradigmproductions.org/sales/sales.htm. 
CINE Golden Eagle; National Educational Media Network Golden Apple; Best Documentary, Cine Festival, San Antonio. 
The story of Cesar Chavez, the founder of the United Farmworkers Union. 

*Four Children. 1988. Films for the Humanities & Sciences. Two parts, 24 min. each, color, VHS. Purchase: $89.95. 
Gold Award, Atlanta International Film Festival; Emmy Award. 
This two-part series highlights the diversity of the U.S. population through four children - an African American boy from the inner city, a girl from the Appalachian mountains, an Apache boy from an Arizona reservation, and a Chicano girl from a migrant farm-working family. 
*Gathering Up Again: Fiesta in Santa Fe. 1992. Cinema Guild. 47 min., color, VHS. Purchase: $275; Rental: $75. Study Guide Available. 
Silver Apple, National Educational Film and Video Festival 
Examines the Santa Fe Fiesta, a community celebration which commemorates the Spaniards' "bloodless reconquest" of the Pueblo Indians in New Mexico in 1692. Highlights the cultural contributions of the area's three major ethnic groups - Native Americans, Latinos and Anglos. 

Heroes Hispanos. 1997. Library Video Company. 150 min., color, VHS. Purchase: $19.95. 
Highlights the contributions of Latinos to U.S. military history. First aired on The History Channel. 

Hispanic - American Cultures in the USA. 1992. Instructional Video. 60 min., color, VHS. Series: Dealing with diversity series. Purchase: $99.00. 
Focuses on the multiple ethnic groups classified as Hispanic. This video is part of a 23-part series on American cultural diversity. 

Homelessness Among Hispanics. 1991. Films for the Humanities & Sciences. 28 min., color, VHS. Purchase: $149.00 Rental: $75.00. 
This program looks at homelessness among Latinos in San Francisco, San Antonio, and at the colonias—the illegal subdivisions—along the Texas-Mexico border. 
*In the Shadow of the Law. 1990. UCMIL. 58 min., color, VHS. Purchase: $295, Rental: $60. 
Emmy Award; Latino Film and Video Festival Award; Houston Intl. Film Festival Award; Natl. Educational Film Festival Award. 
This documentary highlights four Latin American families living illegally in the U.S. and their hopes that changes in immigration law will allow them to qualify for amnesty. 

Latino Art & Culture in the United States. 1996. Crystal Productions -or- NLCC. 27 min., color, VHS. Spanish subtitles. Kits, models, realia, games, and simulations. Purchase: $85.00. 
Examines the artistic history and works of several Latino cultures in the United States, including Cuban-American, Puerto Rican and Southwestern Hispanic contributions. 

Latino Employment and Unemployment. 1992. Films for the Humanities & Sciences. 28 min., color, VHS. Purchase: $149.00 Rental: $75.00. 
Examines the institutional and cultural roadblocks encountered by Latinos trying to make a decent living in the U.S. Focuses on the Rio Grande Valley. 

The Latino Family. 1993. Films for the Humanities & Sciences. 28 min., color, VHS. Purchase: $149.00 Rental: $75.00. 
Documents the lives of three generations of a Mexican-American family, tracing patterns of assimilation and changing family traditions while emphasizing family cohesion. Originally broadcast on the television program Heritage. 

Latino Hollywood: A History of Latino Participation in the Hollywood Film. Industry, 1911-1940 1994. Cinema Guild. 31 min., color & b&w, VHS. Purchase: $125.00. 
Describes contributions of Latinos involved in the motion picture industry between 1911 and 1940. 

Latino Hollywood, 1940-1990s. 1996. Cinema Guild Inc. 18 min., color, VHS. Purchase: $125.00. 
Describes contributions of Latinos involved in the motion picture industry between 1940 and the 1990s. Discusses stereotypes of Latin Americans and Latino characters in major motion pictures. 

Latino Voting Behavior. 1992. Films for the Humanities & Sciences. 26 min., color, VHS. Purchase: $149.00 Rental: $75.00. 
Explores Latino voting behavior, including low voter turnout, changes in voting behavior, the changing composition of the Latino population and its possible effect on voting, and profiles Latino politicians. 

Latinos: The Life of the Spirit. 1992. Films for the Humanities & Sciences. 28 min., color, VHS. Purchase: $149.00 Rental: $75.00. 
+ Video Rating Guide for Libraries. 
This video examines an increasing Latino shift away from Catholicism and gravitation toward Protestant and Evangelical religions, as well as toward spiritualist movements. Originally broadcast on the television program Heritage. 

*The Lemon Grove Incident. 1985. Cinema Guild. 58 min., color, VHS. Purchase: $350 Rental: $95. 
Three Emmy Awards, National Academy of TV Arts and Sciences; Gold Award Houston Film Festival; Certificate of Merit American Bar Association; CINE Golden Eagle Award. 
+ Booklist; Choice. 
This video dramatizes the events surrounding a lawsuit filed by Mexican Americans against the Lemon Grove, California school board in 1930, to block the segregation of Mexican-American students into a separate school. The lawsuit was the first in the nation to successfully challenge school segregation. 

Living in America - A Hundred Years of Ybor City. 1987. Filmakers Library Inc. 
-or- 
R 1992. Modern Educational Video Network. 53 min., color, VHS. Spanish subtitles. Series: America - A Cultural Mosaic. $445.00 purchase, $75.00 rental. 
Traces the history of Latino culture in Ybor City, Florida from the 1880s, when the city was founded for cigar factory workers (mostly immigrants), through World War II when various cultural and economic factors led to the decline of the community. 
Mexican Americans. Series: Multicultural peoples of North America 1993. Library Video Company. 30 min., color, VHS. Purchase: $49.95. 
Celebrates the heritage of Mexican Americans. Traces the history of their emigration to North America and shows the unique traditions they brought with them. Discusses why and when they emigrated, where they settled, their occupations and their important leaders. Part of a 15-part series on multiculturalism in North America. 

The Mexican Tapes: A Chronicle of Life Outside the Law. 1986. Video Data Bank. 4 videocassettes, 220 min., color, VHS. English and Spanish with English subtitles. Videotaped between 1979 and 1985. 
Louis Hock's personal account and interviews with neighbors living in La Colonia (near San Diego, California), a settlement inhabited by people of Mexican descent, many of whom are illegal aliens. 

Mi Puerto Rico. 1996. NLCC. 90 min., color, VHS. Personal use $34.95; Institutional use with PPR $95.00. 
+ The Village Voice, The Boston Globe. 
Puerto Rico's cultural and historical traditions, from politics to the arts, and the relations between the U.S. and Puerto Rico. Videocassette release of the 1995 documentary film by Ortiz/Simon Productions. 

Miami-Havana. 1992. Cinema Guild. 60 min., color, VHS. Purchase: $295 Rental: $95. 
+ The New York Daily News. 
This documentary examines the human toll of families divided as a result of the thirty year conflict between the U.S. and Cuba. Provides the history of Cuban emigration patterns, U.S. economic sanctions against Cuba, and the deportation of Cubans that were excluded from legal immigration. 

*Miles from the Border. 1987. New Day Films. 15 min., color, VHS. Purchase: $175; Rental: $40. Spanish version available. 
Nissan Focus Documentary Award; Special Jury Award, San Antonio CineFest. 
Twenty years after emigrating from a rural village in Mexico to an ethnically divided community in California, the Aparicio family shares its experiences of dislocation and the difficulties of crossing cultures. 

Los Mineros. 1990. WGBH / WGBH Educational Foundation and PBS. 
-or- 
NLCC. 60 min., color, VHS. CC. English and Spanish. Purchase: $69.95. 
Recounts the struggle of Mexican-American miners to form a union as workers in the Arizona copper mines. 

Mobilizing the Latino Community: Ernesto J. Cortes, Jr.. 1994. Films for the Humanities & Sciences. 50 min., color, VHS. CC. Purchase: $89.95. 
In this program with Bill Moyers, Cortes discusses his participation in American politics. 

*Mundo Milagroso (Miraculous World). 1995. Filmakers Library. 27 min., color, VHS. Purchase: $295; Rental: $55. A Spanish version is available. 
Margaret Mead Film Festival, 1995. Examines the blend of Spanish Catholicism and indigenous religion which flourishes among Mexican Americans living along the Texas-Mexico border. 
*Natives: Immigrant Bashing on the Border. 1991, Filmakers Library. 28 min., B&W, VHS. Purchase $295; Rental $55. 
Award of Merit, Latin American Studies Association, 1992. Best Short Documentary, Atlanta Film Festival, 1992. San Antonio CineFest, 1992. 
+ New York Times. 
Documents the xenophobia of some of the inhabitants of the California-Mexico border region of the U.S. and their attempts to keep Mexicans from immigrating. 

*Oaxacalifornia. 1994. UCMIL. 57 min., color, VHS. Purchase: $225, Rental: $70. 
Natl. Educational Film Festival Gold Apple Award. 
This documentary explores the lives of the Mejia family, Oaxacan immigrants who remain Mexican citizens, while their children, born in the U.S. consider themselves Mexican Americans. Deals with their struggles for identity. 

That Old Gang of Mine. 1996. Filmakers Library. 56 min., color, VHS. Purchase: $350; Rental $75. 
A portrait of growing up in New York City's El Barrio in the late 1940's and '50's, set against that neighborhood as it exists today. Portrays daily life of individuals of Puerto Rican descent. 
Palante, Siempre Palante!: The Young Lords. 1996, Columbia University Station. 40 min., color, VHS. 
Documents Puerto Rican history, the creation of the Young Lords organization, its activities and philosophy, as well as its demise. 

Power, Politics And Latinos. 1992. NLCC. 60 Min., color, VHS. CC. Purchase: $49.95. 
Documents the history and impact of Latino voting patterns in the United States. Originally broadcast on PBS. 

Puerto Ricans. Series: Multicultural peoples of North America 1993. Schlessinger Media - Library Video Company. 30 min., color, VHS. Purchase: $49.95. 
Celebrates the heritage of Puerto Ricans. Traces the history of their emigration to North America and shows the unique traditions they brought with them. Discusses why and when they emigrated, where they settled, their occupations and their important leaders. Part of a 15 - part series on multiculturalism in North America. 

The Puerto Ricans - Art as Cultural Expression. Columbus legacy series. 1992. Pennsylvania State University, Media Sales. 8 min., color, VHS. Purchase: $40.00; Rental $11.00. 
Looks at the past and present challenges of the Puerto Rican community in Pennsylvania. Part of a 15 - part series commemorating the 500th anniversary of Columbus' journeys to the Americas. 
Refugees in Our Backyard. 1990. First Run / Icarus Films. 58 min., color, VHS. $895.00, $390.00 purchase, $125.00 rental. 
Red Ribbon Winner, 1991 American Film & Video Festival; 1992 Choice Magazine Outstanding Academic Books/Nonprint Materials. 
+ Booklist; Choice; Multicultural Education. 
Documents the problems created by the influx of Salvadorans, Guatemalans, and Nicaraguans into the U.S., seeking refuge from political violence and hoping for a better life. 

Requiem 29. R 1997. NLCC. 31 min., color, VHS. Originally produced in 1971. Digitally restored, with new titles. 
This classic film documents the death of L. A. Times journalist Rubén Salazar at the Chicano National Moratorium in Los Angeles on August 29, 1970. Highlights police brutality against the 50,000 Chicanos attending the march and demonstration for civil rights. 

*Routes of Rhythm. 1990. Cinema Guild. Three programs, 58 mins. each, color, VHS. Purchase: $150 each/$298 series Rental: $95 each/$150 series. Available in English or Spanish versions. 
Blue Ribbon American Film and Video Festival. 
+ Library Journal; Video Librarian; Choice. 
This three-part series surveys Latino music from its origin five hundred year ago in Africa and Spain to the contemporary sound of popular artists such as Gloria Estefan, Ruben Blades, and Dizzy Gillespie. 
The Shrine. 1990. UCMIL. 46 min., color, VHS. Purchase: $195, Rental: $60. 
This video explores the history of El Santuario, a small adobe church in northern New Mexico, that attracts thousands of people each year, and explores its relationship to Latino culture. 

*Spirit Doctors. 1996. Filmakers Library Inc. 30 min., color, VHS. Spanish. Purchase: $295.00; Rental $55. 
Best Documentary, Utah Short Film & Video Festival, 1996. 
Examines the folk healing practices of Mexican-American curanderas living in the lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas. 

The Status of Latina Women. 1993. Films for the Humanities & Sciences. 26 min., color, VHS. Purchase: $89.95. 
This video highlights the differences between the U.S. Latina and her Latin American counterparts. 

Substance Abuse Among Latinos. 1991. Films for the Humanities & Sciences. 28 min., color, VHS. Purchase: $149.00. 
Examines Latino efforts to combat drug and alcohol abuse. 

*Los Sures. 1983. Cinema Guild. 58 min., color, VHS. Purchase: $350; Rental: $100. 
Blue Ribbon American Film Festival; Special Jury Award San Francisco Film Festival. 
+ Library Journal. 
This documentary explores the lives of five Puerto Ricans living in one of New York City's poorest neighborhoods. 
The Three Stages of Latino Life. 1992. Films for the Humanities & Sciences. 28 min., color, VHS. Purchase: $89.95. 
Explores the ways in which Latinos celebrate the three states of life - birth, adulthood, and death. Originally broadcast on the television program Heritage. 

*Tierra o Muerte: Land or Death. 1992. UCMIL. 59 min., color, VHS. Purchase: $195; Rental: $60. 
Latin American Studies Assoc. Award of Merit; duPont-Columbia Award for Broadcast Journalism; CineFestival San Antonio honoree; Intl. Film & TV Festival of New York Award. 
This documentary explores a land rights battle in northern New Mexico that has endured for 150 years and which continues to affect the Mexican-American population living there. 

*Transnational Fiesta: 1992. 1993. UCMIL. 61 min., color, VHS. Purchase: $295; Rental: $70. 
Margaret Mead Film Festival honoree; Chicago Latino Film Festival honoree; Intl. Congress of Anthropological and Ethnological Sciences honoree; American Anthropological Assoc. selection. 
Explores the multicultural and transnational experiences of a family of Peruvian Andean immigrants living in Washington, D.C. The video documents their lives in Washington and follows them as they return to their home town in Peru to sponsor the annual fiesta of the village's patron saint. 
*Uneasy Neighbors. 1991. UCMIL. 35 min., color, VHS. Purchase: $250, Rental: $50 
. American Film Festival Blue Ribbon; Natl. Conference of Christians and Jews Award; San Antonio CineFestival honoree; Latino Film and Video Festival honoree. 
Investigates the growing tensions between residents of migrant worker camps and affluent homeowners in northern San Diego county, one of the wealthiest areas in the nation. 

*The Unwanted. 1997. NLCC. 60 min., color, VHS. Personal use $24.95; Institutional use with PPR $95.00. Originally issued in 1975. 
Winner of 3 Emmy awards. 
This landmark l975 documentary was the first program to explore the problem & issues of illegal immigration on network television. 

Viva la Causa! 500 Years of Chicano History. 1995. Collision Course Video Productions. 60 min., color, VHS. $52.50 institutional purchase, $37.50 individual purchase. 
Introduces the history of Mexican Americans from pre-Columbian times to the present. Developed as a tool for fostering self-respect among Latino students and for use in diversity education programs. Based on the bilingual book, 500 Years of Chicano History in Pictures. Includes a discussion guide for teachers. See also: 500 años. 

*Voices of the Orishas. 1994. UCMIL. 37 min., color, VHS. Purchase: $195; Rental: $60. 
People's Choice Award, Global Africa Film Festival; American Anthropological Assoc. selection. 
This ethnographic documentary focuses on Yoruba cultural and religious heritage in the contemporary life of Caribbean African-Hispanics. Filmed in Havana among Afro- Cubans who practice Santeria (African spiritism). 
Women of Hope: Latinas Abriendo Camino. 1996. Films for the Humanities & Sciences. 29 min., color, VHS. CC. Purchase: $99.00; Rental: $75.00. Study guide and poster set available. 
+ Booklist. 
This program tells the story of Latina women in the U.S. through portraits of twelve women, including Miriam Colon, actress and founder of the Puerto Rican Traveling Theater; Nydia Velazquez, the first Puerto Rican Congresswoman; and Sandra Cisneros, Chicana novelist and poet. 

Yo Soy. 1985. Cinema Guild. 60 min., color, VHS. Spanish, with English subtitles. An update of Yo Soy Chicano. Purchase: $350; Rental: $90. 
+ Booklist. 
Documents the key issues, problems and concerns of the Mexican Americans. Includes interviews with Chicano leaders and activists. Highlighted themes include politics, education, labor and economic development. 

Yo Soy Chicano. 1972. Cinema Guild. 60 min., color, VHS. Spanish with English subtitles. Purchase: $295 Rental: $90. 
-or- 
R 1997, NLCC. 25th Anniversary Collector's Edition. 60 min., color, VHS. Digitally remastered. For personal use only $24.95. 
Documents the Chicano experience, from pre-Columbian history to the Mexican American civil rights struggles of the early 1970s. 

VIDEO DISTRIBUTORS OF LATINO/A MATERIALS

The following distributors are among those which specialize in educational media and which have substantial social science or interdisciplinary catalogs. The following highly selective list includes annotations for those which are particularly strong in their coverage of multicultural, ethnic, or area studies topics. 

Cinema Guild 
http://www.cinemaguild.com/ 
1697 Broadway, Suite 506,New York, NY 10019 
Phone: 800-723-5522; 212-246-5522; Fax: 212-246-5525. 
The Cinema Guild web site is organized into five broad directories: The Arts and Humanities, Health, The Sciences, Social Studies, and World Cultures. There are separate sections for New Releases and Special Selections. This site include a separate "Latino Studies" catalog (http//www.cinemaguild.com/docs/latino.html#LATINO). In addition to Anthropology, Political Science, Sociology and Urban Studies, relevant headings include: Chicano Studies and Puerto Rican Studies. Each video entry includes videographic information, a synopsis, and a list of awards won. Entries may also include excerpts from reviews. QuickTime (TM) video clips are available for some videos. 

Films for the Humanities & Sciences 
http://www.films.com/ 
P.O. Box 2053, Princeton, NJ 08543-2053 
Phone: 800-257-5126; Fax: 609-275-3767 
This web catalog includes over 5,000 titles, many of which are relevant to the social sciences. Latino videos may be found throughout the subject areas. The subject "Multicultural Studies" lacks further subdivision although the company's print catalog entitled "Multicultural Studies" contains a separate heading for Latino Studies. A built-in search engine allows users to search the catalog by keyword, title, subject, reviews and awards, media format, and duration. The catalog is also browsable by subject. Entries include videographic information, synopses, reviews, and awards won. The distributor also offers an alert service which notifies registered users of new titles in the subject areas they designate. 

First Run/Icarus Films 
http://www.echonyc.com/~frif/ 
First Run/Icarus Films 153 Waverly Place New York, NY 10014 
Phone: 212-727-1711; Fax: 212-989-7649 
E-Mail: info@frif.com 
This web catalog is browsable by title, subject, and filmmaker indexes. Entries include videographic information, synopses, and awards won. 

Library Video Company 
http://www.libraryvideo.com/ 
P.O. Box 580, Wynnewood, PA 19096 
Phone: 800-843-3620; Fax: 610-645-4040. 
Library Video Company offers over 10,000 educational video and CD-ROM products, geared toward schools and public libraries. The catalog is searchable by title, subject, grade level, media type, and more. The catalog includes Multicultural and Hispanic Culture sections. Entries include videographic information and synopses. 

The National Latino Communications Center (NLCC) 
http://www.nlcc.com/ 
3171 Los Feliz Boulevard, Suite 200, Los Angeles, CA 90039 
Phone: 213-663-8294; Fax: 213-663-5606 
To order videos: 1-800-722-9982 
NLCC Educational Media, P.O. Box 39A60, Los Angeles, CA 90039 
The National Latino Communications Center (NLCC) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to producing and presenting Latino-themed programming that accurately portrays Latinos and the Latino experience. The NLCC was established over 25 years ago in Los Angeles to provide Latino programming to the public broadcasting system. 

The web catalog consists of an alphabetical title index of close to 100 items. Since this organization's focus is the accurate portrayal of Latinos and Latino culture, it includes a mix of new documentary releases, reissues of classic documentaries and videos, feature films, stage adaptations, PBS series and dramas, and biographical and performance videos. 

New Day Films 
http://www.newday.com/ 
New Day Films, 79 Raymond Avenue, Poughkeepsie, NY 12601 
Phone: 914-485-8489. 
This web catalog offers over 100 independently produced films and videos on social issues. New Day Films is a cooperative of over 50 independent film/video producers. Subject coverage includes Anthropology, Folklore, Latin American Studies, Multiculturalism, Urban Studies, and Growing Up in America. Entries include videographic information, synopses, awards won, and quotes from published reviews and subject specialists. Some entries contain links to "Study Resources" -- Internet materials on related topics, though not developed by New Day Films. 

University of California Extension Media Center / Center for Media and Independent Learning [UCMIL] 
http://www-cmil.unex.berkeley.edu/media/ 
2000 Center St., 4th Fl., Berkeley, CA 94704 
Phone: 510-642-0460;Fax: (510) 643-9271 
This web catalog offers over 500 titles in the areas of ethnic studies, Hispanic American studies, ethnography, and world cultures. Entries include videographic information, synopses, awards won, quotes from reviews, and quotes from subject specialists. 

OTHER DISTRIBUTORS

Ambrose Video Publishing Inc. 
http://www.ambrosevideo.com 
28 West 44th St, Ste 2100, New York, NY 10036 
800-526-4663, 212-768-7373; FAX 212-768-9282 

Collision Course Video Productions. 
PO Box 347383, San Francisco CA 94134-7383 
415-587-0818; FAX 415-587-0818 

Crystal Productions 
1812 Johns Dr, PO Box 2159, Glenview IL 60025-6159 
800-255-8629, 847-657-8144; FAX 847-657-8149 
Crystal@interaccess.com 

 Filmakers Library Inc. 
http://www.filmakers.com 
124 East 40th St, Ste 901, New York NY 10016 
212-808-4980; FAX 212-808-4983 
info@filmakers.com 

GPN - Great Plains National 
http://gpn.unl.edu 
PO Box 80669, Lincoln NE 68501-0669 
800-228-4630, 402-472-9333; FAX 800-306-2330, 402-472-4076 

Instructional Video 
PO Box 21, Maumee OH 43537 
419-865-7670; FAX 419-867-3813 

National Museum of American Art 
http://www.nmaa.si.edu 
8th & G Sts NW, Washington DC 20560 
202-357-3111 

PBS Video / Public Broadcasting Service 
http://www.pbs.org/learn/ 
1320 Braddock Place, Alexandria VA 22314 
800-344-3337, 800-424-7963, 703-739-5380; FAX 703-739-5269 
djalbert@pbs.org 

Pennsylvania State University, Media Sales 
http://www.cde.psu.edu/mediasales/ 
118 Wagner Building, University Park PA 16802 
800-770-2111 814-863-3102; FAX 814-865-3172 
mediasales@cde.psu.edu 

WGBH / WGBH Educational Foundation 
http://www.boston.com/wgbh 
125 Western Ave, Boston MA 02134 
617-492-2777; FAX 617-787-0714 
feedback@wgbh.org 

Women Make Movies Inc. 
462 Broadway, Ste 500 - D, New York NY 10013 
(212)925-0606; FAX (212)925-2052 
orders@wmm.com 

REFERENCES

  • Center for Southern Folklore. 1976. American folklore films and videotapes: An index. Memphis: Center for Southern Folklore.
  • Center for Southern Folklore. 1982. American folklore films and videotapes: A catalog. Volume II. New York: R. R. Bowker Company.
  • Cyr, H.W. 1985. A filmography of the Third World, 1976-1983: An annotated list of 16mm films. Metuchen, NJ: The Scarecrow Press, Inc.
  • Cyr, H.W. 1976. A filmography of the Third World: An annotated list of 16mm films. Metuchen, NJ: The Scarecrow Press, Inc.
  • de la Campa, Román. 1994. "The Latino diaspora in the United States: Sojourns from a Cuban past". Public culture. 6:293-317.
  • de la Garza, Rodolfo O. 1993. "Latinos and new demographic realities". The Chronicle of higher education. June 2, 1993: B1.
  • Fregoso, R.L. 1993. The Bronze screen: Chicana and Chicano film culture. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press.
  • Goldman, N. 1994. "Sources for finding alternative media". In: Handman, G. P. (Ed.). Video collection development in multi-type libraries: A handbook. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press. Pp. 373-399.
  • Heider, K.G. and C. Hermer. 1995. Films for anthropological teaching. 8th ed. Washington D.C.: American Anthropological Association.
  • Jiménez, L. 1992. "Reclaiming ourselves: Puerto Rican independent film and video". In Abrash, B. and C. Egan (Eds.). Mediating history: The MAP guide to independent video by and about African American, Asian American, Latino, and Native American People. New York: New York University Press. Pp. 67-88.
  • List, C. 1996. Chicano images: Refiguring ethnicity in mainstream film. New York: Garland Publishing, Inc.
  • Mandell, P.L. (Compiler). December 1992. "Cultural diversity videos, part IV: Hispanic-Americans." School library journal. 38:65-72.
  • Melville, M.B. "'Hispanic' ethnicity, race and class". In Weaver, T. (Ed.). 1994. Handbook of Hispanic cultures in the United States: Anthropology. Houston: Arte Publico Press. Pp. 85-106.
  • Pitman, R. 1992. The video librarian's guide to collection development and management. NY: G.K. Hall & Co.
  • U.S. Department of Commerce. Economics and Statistics Administration. Bureau of the Census. Hispanic population of the United States. URL: http://www.census.gov/population/www/socdemo/hispanic.html
  • U.S.. Department of Commerce. Economics and Statistics Administration. Bureau of the Census. 1994. Statistical brief. The nation's Hispanic population - 1994.
  • U.S. Department of Commerce. Economics and Statistics Administration. Bureau of the Census. 1993. We the American...Hispanics. URL: http://www.census.gov/apsd/wepeople/we-2r.pdf
  • Weaver, T. "The culture of Latinos in the United States". In Weaver, T. (Ed.). 1994. Handbook of Hispanic cultures in the United States: Anthropology. Houston: Arte Publico Press. Pp. 15-84.
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    Lori Foulke is Assistant Education and Social Science Librarian and Sociology and Political Science Bibliographer at the Education and Social Science Library, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. She may be reached via e-mail at l-foulke@uiuc.edu. 

    Copyright 1998 Lori Foulke. All Rights Reserved. Any commercial use of this work requires permission of the author and the editors of this journal. 

    The author and editors to not maintain links to World Wide Web resources. 
     

      ISSN 1069-6792
        Lori Widzinski, Editor (widz@acsu.buffalo.edu)
        Revised: 07/23/98
          URL: http://wings.buffalo.edu/publications/mcjrnl/v6n1/latinos.html