CT: Gente-fied
One of my favorite things about living in LA is that we have nearly constant access to a supply of new art. Film screenings, museums, live music- you name it and LA can provide you with it at almost any hour of the day. For a cinephile like me, it's paradise. Yesterday, I had the opportunity to attend Sundance NextFest, which was an amazing line up of film, music, and comedy. But my hands-down favorite part was the Gente-fied screening on Saturday afternoon.
Gente-fied is the new digital series from Macro, directed by Marvin Lemus and co-written by him and Linda Yvette Chavez. In seven episodes, it follows seven different people through their lives in the Boyle Heights neighborhood of Los Angeles. For those who may not be familiar, Boyle Heights is a community here in LA that is in the middle of a gentrification crisis. The residents have been protesting their skyrocketing rents which lead to the loss of long-standing community businesses.
It's a complex, complicated issue and to be completely honest with you, going into the screening I was concerned that Gente-fied would be either preachy or reductionist or both. Boy was I wrong.
Lemus and Chavez have instead created a piece that is intensely human. It's about the community and the way that changes affect the intertwined lives of everyone who lives there. They don't write a single character as one-sided. Instead, each episode follows one of the characters as they struggle with identity and their place in their community. They're all trying to do their best inside a deeply difficult situation. It's funny as often as it's sad, and I was deeply charmed by the writing.
Technically, the series is incredibly well handled. The actors, all relatively unknown (except for a brief appearance by executive producer America Ferrera) are fantastic from start to finish. They're believable and funny and warm, challenging character stereotypes and creating depth in even the smallest performances throughout the series. The cinematography is gorgeous as well. I have a soft spot for the beauty in the streets of LA, and cinematographer Ana M. Amortegui captures it perfectly.
Following the screening, there was a conversation with Lemus, Chavez, and Ferrera in attendance, as well as executive producer Aaliyah Williams, Josefina Lopez (Real Women Have Curves), Nancy Meza (a community member of Defend Boyle Heights). The discussion was moderated by Justin Simien (Dear White People). It was an incredibly intriguing conversation about gentrification, art, and the responsibilities of storytellers and artists within social change. If I hadn't loved the series already, listening to the creators speak about it would have convinced me.
There's no release date yet for Gente-fied, but I personally can't wait to watch it again. Lemus, Chavez, and the rest of the crew should be incredibly proud of what they accomplished with this piece.
Happy Watching!
CT
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| Image from IMDb |
It's a complex, complicated issue and to be completely honest with you, going into the screening I was concerned that Gente-fied would be either preachy or reductionist or both. Boy was I wrong.
Lemus and Chavez have instead created a piece that is intensely human. It's about the community and the way that changes affect the intertwined lives of everyone who lives there. They don't write a single character as one-sided. Instead, each episode follows one of the characters as they struggle with identity and their place in their community. They're all trying to do their best inside a deeply difficult situation. It's funny as often as it's sad, and I was deeply charmed by the writing.
Technically, the series is incredibly well handled. The actors, all relatively unknown (except for a brief appearance by executive producer America Ferrera) are fantastic from start to finish. They're believable and funny and warm, challenging character stereotypes and creating depth in even the smallest performances throughout the series. The cinematography is gorgeous as well. I have a soft spot for the beauty in the streets of LA, and cinematographer Ana M. Amortegui captures it perfectly.
Following the screening, there was a conversation with Lemus, Chavez, and Ferrera in attendance, as well as executive producer Aaliyah Williams, Josefina Lopez (Real Women Have Curves), Nancy Meza (a community member of Defend Boyle Heights). The discussion was moderated by Justin Simien (Dear White People). It was an incredibly intriguing conversation about gentrification, art, and the responsibilities of storytellers and artists within social change. If I hadn't loved the series already, listening to the creators speak about it would have convinced me.
There's no release date yet for Gente-fied, but I personally can't wait to watch it again. Lemus, Chavez, and the rest of the crew should be incredibly proud of what they accomplished with this piece.
Happy Watching!
CT
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