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Fans of classic Mexican cinema have an embarrassment of riches to feast on later this month when the Film at Lincoln Center (Flc) retrospective “Spectacle Every Day: Mexican Popular Cinema” begins. The series, curated and produced in partnership with the Locarno Film Festival and sponsored by Mubi, will feature an eclectic mix of 22 midcentury Mexican films produced from the 1940s through the 1960s.

Running at Flc from July 26-August 8, the series features classic horror movies, film noir, comedies, Westerns, lucha libre superhero movies, and early 3D cinema from one of Mexico’s richest periods of cultural output. Many of the films are either debuting new restorations or, in some cases, screening theatrically in the United States for the first time. The titles were originally screened together as part of a retrospective at the 2023 Locarno Film Festival, which featured 36 Mexican films before trimming its lineup down to 22 entries for the New York remounting.

Mid-century Mexican films are being feted at the Film at Lincoln Center as part of a new partnership with the Locarno Film Festival. Titled Spectacle Every Day: Mexican Popular Cinema, the program spans Mexican cinema from the ’40s through the ’60s, featuring works from directors such as Roberto Gavaldón, Emilio Fernández, Julio Bracho, Alejandro Galindo, and Chano Urueta. The 22-film retrospective takes place at Flc from July 26 through August 8.

Highlights include the 4K restoration of Julio Bracho’s “Take Me in Your Arms” (1954), Alejandro Galindo’s “Wetbacks” (1955), “The Sword of Granada” (1953) which was the first 3-D film produced in Mexico, and Matilde Landeta’s sex work melodrama “Streetwalker” (1951). Landeta was one of the country’s first female directors.

The features screening as part of Spectacle Every Day: Mexican Popular Cinema have been rarely screened stateside. Some even have never before seen theatrically in the United States, per the official press release.

TelevisaUnivision has enlisted key players across Ibero-America to produce original projects for its two-tiered streaming platform, ViX. During the first quarter of this year, 11 series and movies are kicking off production, among them from the likes of Mexico’s Argos Contenido, Lemon Films, Alazraki and Edge Films, Argentina’s Fam Contenidos, and Colombia’s 11:11 Films & TV and Spain’s Morena Films, as well as Miami-based Btf Media and W Studios.

“By announcing these 11 new productions, we’re not only reaffirming our commitment to genuinely reflect the rich and diverse stories of our Hispanic community but also leading the charge in delivering the best-in-class content,” said Rodrigo Mazón, EVP & chief content officer, ViX.

“Working closely with our amazing production partners and accomplished content creators and storytellers, who have embraced our mission, ViX is delivering more Spanish-language originally produced titles than anyone else in our first year, and we’re only getting started,...

Since launching last month, free ad-supported streaming TV (Fast) platform Sling Freestream has been adding channels at a dizzying pace. That trend continues as the free platform has announced that it is adding 16 new channels to bring its overall total to 230 channels and 41,000 on-demand titles.

Included in this new batch of offerings are several Spanish-language channels and offerings from all types of genres from anime to documentaries to Telenovela classics.

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Check out the list of the new Sling Freestream channels:

Anime X Hidive: Love anime? Check out Hidive’s action-packed assortment on Anime X Hidive! From classic series to hot hits fresh from Japan, it’s got anime fans covered. Come discover your favorite new series with Anime X Hidive!

Canela Cinema: Around-the-clock content from the most watched movies on Canela.TV including nostalgic and contemporary cinema from Hollywood, Mexico, and all of Latin America.

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In Mexican culture, when someone is singing or playing a song that tugs hearts or provokes tears, the instinctive reaction is to let out a prideful, ebullient shout called a grito. The adlib is at the core of age-old mariachi classics from legendary Spanish-language vocalists like Pedro Infante, José Alfredo Jiménez and Vicente Fernandez, to name a few.

The ensemble-styled genre has long been categorized as traditional music, often heard at family parties or special events, but “Going Varsity in Mariachi,” a production by Osmosis Films, Embeleco Unlimited, Impact Partners and Fifth Season that premieres at the Sundance Film Festival today (Jan. 22), sets out to prove the opposite. From the producer team of James Lawler, Luis A. Miranda, Jr. and Julia Pontecorvo, “Going Varsity in Mariachi” follows the talented 20-member group of high school students who make up Edinburg North’s Mariachi Oro 2021-22 team in Texas. The band, under-resourced and riddled with post-pandemic obstacles,...

Photo: Vicente Fernández On December 12th, Mexico marked the end of an era, as the mariachi king, Vicente Fernández, passed away at the age of 81. Known as El Ídolo de Mexico (Mexico's Idol), El Charro de Huentitán (The Charro of Huentitán), Chente, and El Rey de la Música Ranchera (The King of the Ranchera Music), the Mexican singer had a career that spanned fifty-five years. Vicente Fernandez was the voice of a culture, often representing the Mexican working class. From Rags-to-Riches The mariachi king started singing as a young boy in the Village of Huentitán in the state of Jalisco, Mexico. After admiring the Mexican idols of his time, Pedro Infante and Jorge Negrete, he made a promise to himself and his mother to one day “be just like them.” Years passed, and that little boy kept his promise, taking his dreams further than he could ever imagine. Related article:...

Vicente Fernández, the famed Mexican singer and actor, died on Sunday after months in the hospital following a fall at his ranch outside Guadalajara. He was 81.

His death was confirmed on his social media accounts, where his family had been updating fans on his condition and dispelling near-constant rumors of his death. He had undergone surgery for a cervical spine injury and spent weeks in intensive care, using a ventilator for respiratory support. He was briefly transferred out of intensive care, but returned after experiencing respiratory inflammation at the end of November.

Ritchie Valens was just 17 years old when he changed the course of pop music in the late 1950s. As the first Mexican-American hitmaker in the U.S., he laid the groundwork for Chicano rock and beyond, with an enduring legacy that continues to inspire generation after generation — from legends like Carlos Santana and Los Lobos to Gen Z musicians like Cuco and DannyLux. And while Valens died 62 years ago, his music continues to have an everlasting impact today, on what would have been his 80th birthday.

“Ritchie was a rock & roll pioneer,...

Since the start of the pandemic, awards shows have attempted to strike a balance between necessary Covid-19 precautions and the awkwardness of virtual formats. On Thursday night, the Latin Recording Academy tried to forge its own path with its “reimagined telecast,” which bounced between a live show with limited guests in Miami and taped performances that took place around the world.

Overall, during a night that meant wins for artists the Latin Grammys has honored frequently before (J Balvin, Residente, Alejandro Sanz, and Natalia Lafourcade), the setup had surprisingly more...

Two years ago, Omar Apollo was sitting in the attic where he was living in the small town of Hobart, Indiana, with his guitar and laptop. He recorded a two-minute marvel of achingly tender R&b called “Ugotme,” which a friend persuaded him to upload to Spotify. The next day, the song was on the service’s “Fresh Finds” playlist. Fifteen million streams and two years later, Apollo’s oeuvre also includes two EPs, 2018’s Stereo and 2019’s Friends.

The 22-year-old singer-songwriter, born Omar Velasco to immigrants from Guadalajara, Mexico,...

In a much-anticipated move, giant streaming service Netflix has confirmed the launch of a Mexico City office this year. Netflix chief content officer Ted Sarandos was in Mexico City at a Netflix forum to also announce that the company had more than 50 projects in different stages of production in Mexico, some original content, others co-productions.

“The richness of talent in front of and behind the camera in Mexico was key in our decision to begin our local production strategy with ‘Club de Cuervos’ four years ago,” Sarandos said. “Since then, we have continued to expand our local investment and continue providing a platform for Mexican talent to be recognized around the world,” he added.

Four local films in the pipeline are destined for Netflix’s slate over the next two years. These include “Como Caído del Cielo,” a musical comedy inspired by the songs of Mexican legend Pedro Infante, starring...

“Remember Me” is unique among the Best Original Song nominees. Its love theme is central to Pixar’s “Coco,” helping pay tribute to Día de los Muertos as a unifying bridge for Mexican families. Sung in two very different styles, however, the song is also very personal to its composers, the Oscar-winning husband and wife team of Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez (“Frozen”).

“It was really healing,” said Anderson-Lopez. “Bobby lost his mom in August and we did an ofrenda [collection of objects] with all of our relatives that we’ve lost in October. We sat around and told stories. It was a different kind of grieving then the kind you do at a funeral because it was joyful. We made it feel like she was with us and all of my relatives.”

Lopez’s mother was fortunate to hear “Remember Me” after it was composed. In fact, it was played at his...

Anthony Gonzalez may only be 13, but his role in Coco has made him Disney/Pixar‘s latest star.

The family film — which is set in Mexico during Día de los Muertos, or the Day of the Dead — tells the story of a boy named Miguel (voiced by Gonzalez) and his music-filled journey to the “Land of the Dead” where he meets his ancestors. The colorful film features dancing skeletons and heartwarming songs.

In order to authentically represent Mexican culture, Coco’s filmmakers spent three years traveling the country on research trips, and hired an all-Latino cast that includes Benjamin Bratt,...

Pantelion executives to oversee service.

Lionsgate and Hemisphere Media Group have launched the Spanish-language streaming platform Pantaya.

Most titles will appear exclusively on Pantaya including exclusive and first run access to all Spanish-language releases from the Lionsgate and Televisa joint venture Pantelion Films.

The slate includes Pantelion’s No Manches Frida and Instructions Not Included (pictured), as well as classic titles featuring Latino icons such as Pedro Infante, Maria Felix and Jorge Negrete, and films from Lionsgate’s 16,000-title library dubbed in Spanish, including Dirty Dancing and the Crank action franchise, and Amores Perros.

The roster includes Un Gallo Con Muchos Huevos, and Ladrones, as well as documentaries, concerts and other original premium content.

Lionsgate CEO Jon Feltheimer said Pantaya marked “ the next logical step in Lionsgate’s track record of serving the Hispanic consumer with high-end premium content through our Pantelion Films venture with Televisa.”

Hemisphere CEO Alan Sokol said the service would provide Hispanic film-goers...

On this day in showbiz history...

1872 Suffragette Susan B Anthony is arrested for illegally voting. She was recently forced to turn over in her grave. Where's her biopic?

1917 Pedro Infante, Mexico's biggest movie star has his centennial next year! He died young at only 39 but not before his legend was cemented with nearly 60 movies and over 300 songs

1928 Steamboat Willie, the first Mickey Mouse sound cartoon is released.  It was his third appearance but Disney considers this Mickey Mouse's official birthday. So happy birthday!

1932 The 5th annual Oscar ceremony before the ceremonies started following exact calendar years...

Mexican star Jaime Camil shows off his musical talents as a mariachi singer in Pulling Strings and donning the sexy mariachi outfit made him feel like a superhero.

Best known for his roles as the comedy relief, Jaime Camil leaves the funny up to his co-star Omar Chaparro and takes on the romantic lead as the straight man in the bilingual romantic comedy, Pulling Strings.  More than just a mariachi, Alejandro has a second full time job he's a single dad.  When Alejandro is denied a visa by a young embassy worker (Laura Ramsey) for his young daughter to visit her grandparents in the U.S., Alejandro must find a way to change her mind.

CineMovie sat down with the Pulling Strings star who says he channeled singers Pedro Infante, Augustine Lara, Jorge Negrete, and Javier Solis for his role as a

Read more...

Legendary Spanish-born international film and music icon has died Sara Montiel, also known as either Sarita Montiel or, at times, Saritisima, was one of the Spanish-speaking world's biggest stars. She died on Monday, April 8, apparently of "natural causes" at her house in Madrid's district of Salamanca. She was 85 years old. Earlier today, a cortege driving through the streets of Madrid was attended (and applauded) by thousands of mourning fans. Montiel was born on March 10, 1928; according to online sources, her birth name was María Antonia Alejandra Vicenta Elpidia Isadora Abad Fernández; her father was a small farmer and her mother was beauty products salesperson. She left behind her poverty-stricken childhood, spending her days in the streets of her small village while dreaming of Spanish film star Imperio Argentina, after moving to Madrid in her mid-teens. Diction and singing lessons followed. Eventually, she started appearing in films, landing two roles in 1944 releases:...

Mexico City, Feb 21 (Ians/Efe) Actor Joaquin Cordero died at his home in the Mexican capital, the secretary of the Anda actors guild told Efe. He was 89.

Cordero was "one of the most beloved people in Anda", Amparo Garrido said.

While Garrido did not specify a cause of death, Mexican media suggested the actor fell into a depression after the death of his wife, Alma, seven months ago.

Cordero was also recovering from an embolism.

Born Aug 16, 1923, in the central city of Puebla, Cordero was among the last surviving figures from the Golden Age of Mexican cinema, when he appeared alongside artists such as Mario Moreno "Cantinflas", Pedro Infante and Carmen Montejo.

Cordero made more than 200 films over.

Jorge Negrete Exhibit: Mexican movie icon remembered in Los Angeles Jorge Negrete was one of Mexico’s biggest movie stars ever. Although the actor / singer died more than half a century ago — of hepatitis while in Los Angeles in 1953, at the age of 42 — he is still celebrated as one of the Mexican film industry’s most important movie icons, along with the likes of María Félix (Negrete’s second wife), Pedro Infante, Cantinflas, and Dolores del Río. Well, whether or not you’re familiar [...]...

So, it's summer, and what better season is there for lighting one up, throwing on some chill tunes and whiling away a lazy weekend? While we officially don't condone those sorts of activities, unofficially we might, but either way, if you need to re-up your stash you might track down a couple of laid back bros like Ben and Chon in Oliver Stone's "Savages." Though hopefully, you won't get caught in the crossfire. Squaring off against a Mexican cartel looking to take over their turf, their shared girlfriend O is kidnapped, raising the stakes, and needless to say the results are explosive. And, the tunes on the soundtrack are equally fiery.

M. Ward, Bob Dylan, Peter Tosh (guess which song?), Massive Attack, Cut Copy and more promise to keep things moving in this pretty solid collection of tunes, while Bruce Lash offers up a super chilled over of Talking Heads...

Miami, Sep 29: Puerto Rican pop star Chayanne has released a cover version of iconic Mexican singer and actor Pedro Infante's classic hit 'Amorcito corazon' and the new track is now available for download at the iTunes Store.

Chayanne recently wrapped up his latest world tour, 'No hay imposibles' (Nothing's Impossible), which took him to cities in the Us, Spain and some Latin American countries.

The release of the 'No hay imposibles' album marked the 43-year-old singer's return to the studio after a two-year break in which he delved into other activities, including acting.

The album, which features a mixture of ballads.

Ramon Novarro, Enid Bennett, The Red Lily Early Mexican-born screen heartthrob Ramon Novarro is back on Turner Classic Movies this evening with a presentation of Fred Niblo's silent melodrama The Red Lily (1924). That will be followed by another Ismael Rodríguez effort, Las mujeres de mi general ("The Women of My General"), a 1951 starring Mexican icon Pedro Infante as a rebel general torn between two women, as TCM continues its celebration of 100 years of the start of the Mexican Revolution (which coincides with Hispanic Heritage Month). The Red Lily isn't one of Novarro's best silent films. Both in terms of style and plot, it's quite dated. In fact, it probably felt dated even back in 1924. Historically, The Red Lily is important merely as the the second time Novarro worked with director Fred Niblo, who would guide him the following year in the monumental Ben-Hur, and as Novarro's first effort [...]...

Norma Shearer, Ramon Novarro, Jean Hersholt in Ernst Lubitsch's The Student Prince in Old Heidelberg Turner Classic Movies' Hispanic Heritage Month celebration continues with the showing of one silent film starring Mexican heartthrob Ramon Novarro, The Student Prince in Old Heidelberg (1927), and the Mexican period drama Mexicanos al grito de guerra (1943), starring Mexican cinema's superstar Pedro Infante. Deftly directed by Ernst Lubitsch, and co-starring Norma Shearer at her prettiest and most unaffected, The Student Prince is at turns funny, charming, moving, and ultimately heartbreaking. It's just too bad that Sigmund Romberg's music isn't used in the new score. Ramon Novarro managed to be as good in a few of his other MGM vehicles (e.g., The Pagan, which was shown last week on TCM, The Barbarian), but he was never better than in The Student Prince, even though a very Mediterranean-looking Mexican actor playing a very Teutonic prince...

I still don't know what to make of this, but even after the first trailer, I wanted to see it.. This just makes that desire all the more prescient. Someone send us a screener!

After 50 years still looking for the death of Pedro Infante says it is still alive, and it hires "Nico", an alcoholic detective, who also has a divine commission.

Trailer after the break.

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In its first year following the conclusion of its contract with AFI, the 2010 Dallas International Film Festival will take over all eight screens of the Angelika Film Center for an Opening Night Celebration. 1,600 film goers will participate in the festivities and see featured films including Bill Cunningham New York, Multiple Sarcasms, Nosotros los Pobres and Skateland. In addition, the Super Saturday lineup of films will be packed with four world premieres: Hold, Sin Ella, Virsa and We Are the Sea. This year, the Dallas Star Award – presented annually to film artists in recognition of their unique contributions to cinema – will be given to writer-director Guillermo Arriaga (Babel, 21 Grams), writer-director John Lee Hancock (The Rookie, The Blind Side), three time Academy Award nominated cinematographer Wally Pfister (Batman Begins, The Prestige, The Dark Knight) and Mexican film Icon Pedro Infante (Nosotros los Pobres, Ustedes los Ricos, Pepe el Toro). Academy Award winning...

Taking over all eight screens of the Angelika Film Center on April 8, the Dallas International Film Festival’s opening night will feature four films - "Bill Cunningham New York," "Multiple Sarcasms," "Nosotros Los Pobres" and "Skateland" - plus a shorts program.

Dallas Film Society chairman Michael Cain explained, "The screening of multiple films on Opening Night is a direct result of listening to the filmmakers and our audience. We closed last year with multiple films and the audience loved the selection and choice. This move enables us to welcome a larger audience and turn the spotlight on more filmmaking teams who now share ownership of the opening night of the festival."

The 11-day festival will feature 153 feature films and shorts with 170 screenings.

This fest will present its Dallas Star Awards to writer-director Guillermo Arriaga, writer-director John Lee Hancock, cinematographer Wally Pfister and, to mark Mexico's Bicentennial, actor Pedro Infante.

Oscar-winning...

Today's stars! Well not literally today's but November 18th. Get a little history. Celebrate one of these cinematic entities today in whatever way occurs to you.

Senors Gilbert, Hemmings and Infante

1836 W.S. Gilbert of 'Gilbert & Sullivan' legend. If you've never seen Mike Leigh's exceptional biopic of this creative giant, Topsy-Turvy, drop everything right now and do so.

1908 Imogene Coca beloved comic actress, mostly known for TV roles

1917 Pedro Infante Mexico's biggest movie star ever. Here he is singing. Pedro Almodóvar fans will recognize this one immediately

1939 Margaret Atwood, best-selling much-awarded author. Strangely Hollywood doesn't seem to have taken to her in a big way. The Handmaid's Tale (1990) starring Natasha Richardson is one of the few adaptations

1939 Brenda Vaccaro, Midnight Cowgirl and she of one of the oddest Oscar nominations of all time... seriously, have you seen Once Is Not Enough? Here's StinkyLulu's look at that Oscar year.

1941 David Hemmings,...

The first feature from director Iyari Werrta which clocks in at 105 minutes, is a fantasy laced noir throwback which, looks utterly stunning, has it's head in the clouds, but it's feet firmly plated on the earth. It has something to do with a "Divine comission", the search for the "black panther", and of course, an alcoholic detective. Clearly, Iyari is one to watch, and with all the talent coming out of Mexico right now (see De día o de noche for one), I'm wondering how much longer it will be before we need a correspondent there.

Translation:

After 50 years still looking for the death of Pedro Infante says it is still alive, and it hires "Nico", an alcoholic detective, who also has a divine commission.

The director further states:

The movie is called The Black Panther, is the story of a detective who is called Nico, who has two basic jobs,...

MEXICO CITY -- Warner Home Video in the U.S. is set to release 23 DVD titles starring Pedro Infante, an icon of Mexico's so-called Golden Age of Cinema.

The April 10 release date coincides with the 50th anniversary of Infante's death. The actor died in a plane crash in 1957.

The films in the Pedro Infante Collection, which have never been released stateside, will be available in major retailers, bookstores and online stores as Warner Home Video aims to target the burgeoning U.S. Latino market.

Among the classics to hit the shelves are the drama "Cuando Lloran Los Valientes" (When the Brave Cry) and the comedy "Dicen que Soy Mujeriego" (They Say I Am a Womanizer).

MEXICO CITY -- Alfredo Ripstein Jr., one of Mexico's most prolific movie producers and the father of renowned indie filmmaker Arturo Ripstein, died of respiratory failure in his Mexico City home on Saturday. He was 90.

The son of a Polish immigrant, Ripstein began his career as a production manager.

In the 1940s and 1950s, during the "golden age" of Mexican cinema, he produced dozens of movies and worked with such actors as Pedro Infante and Maria Felix. In 1948, he founded Mexico City-based shingle Alameda Films, which has produced about 120 features.

Among Ripstein's most notable productions is the award-winning "Principio y Fin" (The Beginning and the End), a picture directed by his son, Arturo. He also produced contemporary boxoffice hits "El Callejon de los Milagros" (Midaq Alley), featuring Salma Hayek, and the Gael Garcia Bernal starrer "El Crimen del Padre Amaro" (The Crime of Father Amaro), nominated for best foreign-language picture at the 75th edition of the Academy Awards.

Ripstein is survived by his wife, three children and grandchildren.