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FOTO-NOVELAS incorporates fantasy, magical realism and science fiction to tell Latino stories that move drama into a different realm. Filmmaker Carlos Avila talks about transcending stereotypes and the vivid picture books of his childhood that inspired his work.
What inspired the FOTO-NOVELAS series?
The idea came from two different comic book-style genres that are wildly popular in Mexico and Latin America: foto-novelas and historietas. As a boy, I remember being in people's homes in Mexico and in the U.S. and always coming across these picture books that were full of vivid imagery and used great story-telling techniques. There was also this strong idealism in the books — this notion that romantic dreams and aspirations can come true. It's amazing how people respond to these books. If you walk down the street in Mexico City or in downtown Los Angeles, you'll see them on sale on newsstands in massive amounts.
In recent years, the historieta and foto-novela traditions have been appropriated to tell an even more eclectic variety of stories and introduce new themes—the adventures of professional wrestlers, religious tracts, racy stories about truck drivers, pornography, social consciousness — but the great imagery remains and their popularity is sustained. I think that the popularity of the form is what inspired me the most. Everybody reads them. Their popularity cuts across all social boundaries. So why not use the foto-novela and the historieta forms to tell stories about Latinos in the U.S.? It seemed like the perfect vehicle.
What do you hope to achieve with these films?
One of the goals was to try and tell Latino stories that transcend the limited spectrum of representations that we see over and over again — the gangbanger, the gardener, the downtrodden, the household maid, the sexy supervixen — and to present human characters and give them unusual and creative circumstances in which to live. We were trying for well-drawn characters with human traits and we tried to use foto-novelas and historietas as a springboard while trying hard to move the drama into a different realm.
How do you see FOTO-NOVELAS in the context of other Latino films and programs?
For so long, Latino films made in the U.S. were rooted in an overt social consciousness (i.e., "the social problem" film). The FOTO-NOVELAS programs incorporate fantasy, magical realism and science fiction to tell Latino stories in genres that are different. There is still a concern for social issues but we were trying to take a different approach in addressing them and I hope that all audiences will respond to this. My biggest concern is that people will disregard the programs because it has the veneer of being "just a Latino television show." I'm concerned that people will stick it in a box as being "ethnic" and never get past that. The stories are very human stories with emotions that everyone can tap into.
How has the climate for Latino films and filmmakers changed since you made the first FOTO-NOVELAS in 1997?
This is a difficult question to answer because Latino films are being made under a great variety of circumstances. Motion picture film studios will occasionally support a Latino film for theatrical release but the content is more entertainment-oriented. I think they now have had the realization that with the “right product” they might be able to tap into the significant amount of entertainment dollars spent annually by Latinos in the United States. Cable channels also are attempting to be responsive to the diverse audience of subscribers that they have. Consequently, they are also interested in producing the occasional Latino show. I think the biggest change though is that Latino filmmakers now feel empowered to undertake their own projects on their own terms regardless of the eventual outlet.
What was your experience like in producing and casting these programs?
The writers and crew that I chose to work with were creative people whose work I admired and respected. They were also people that shared my interest in telling Latino stories with strong Latino characters that were complex and interesting.
The casting process was particularly exciting because over and over again, I was impressed by the depth of the talent in the Latino acting community. People tend to get fixated on the Latino "stars" that are out there but there are so many wonderful character actors, "up and comers" and veteran actors who are working. FOTO-NOVELAS2 has a first-rate cast and it was great to be able to use them to tell our stories.
Why did you choose to return to the foto-novela form again?
When I finished the first set of shows, I still felt as if there was much more to say. I liked the idea that the content and the characters could be presented in an unexpected way. I like to think of one of the shows as a spiritual thriller. Another one was inspired by a 1940’s folk song. To me being able to make these shows was exciting because I felt as if I was being given a chance to tell the stories in a way that was appropriate to them. I didn’t have to shoehorn in anything else that was extraneous. It was about the characters and the stories. Filmmakers don’t always have an opportunity to focus just on those things.
Why did you choose to present your film on public television?
I had such a great experience with the first set of FOTO-NOVELAS that aired on public television in 1997, that it seemed natural to want to bring the new shows back. One of the hardest things about doing this work is trying to get those that might potentially fund your show to understand what you are attempting. I was very fortunate in that from the outset, the different public television entities involved in funding FOTO-NOVELAS, completely understood and supported what I was proposing.
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