The Latino cinema classic ‘American Me’ is one of the films on the list released by Congressman Castro. (Courtesy photo)
SAN ANTONIO — Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20) released his third annual list of Latino film nominations for consideration by the National Film Registry at the Library of Congress. Castro’s 2024 nomination list includes newly eligible films (Cesar Chavez), modern film masterpieces (Babel), generational favorites (Gotta Kick It Up!), and groundbreaking historical narratives (Chicano I & II: The Mexican American Heritage Series) and reemphasizes longstanding calls for classics of Latino cinema (Blood In, Blood Out, Like Water for Chocolate, Mi Familia).
“Given the film industry’s continued lack of representation of Latinos, we must continue to make strong effort to ensure that Latino Americans’ contributions to our nation’s cinematic industry are appropriately celebrated and included in the National Film Registry,” Castro wrote in his nomination letter. “Movies remain a crucial form of storytelling that is easily accessible to the public. The media and entertainment industry is the narrative-creating and image-defining institution in America. We look forward to continuing to work together to expand diversity and Latino representation in the National Film Preservation Board and across the Library of Congress. Your mission – of telling and preserving American stories – has never been more important.”
Congressman Castro’s nomination list was cultivated from hundreds of public suggestions submitted on social media and through Congressman Castro’s website.
The nominations are as follows:
- Blood in Blood Out (1993)
- Frida (2002)
- Like Water for Chocolate (1992)
- Mi Familia (1995)
- Y Tu MamáTambiên (2001)
- Under the Same Moon (2007)
- American Me (1992)
- Tortilla Soup (2001)
- The Milagro Beanfield War (1988)
- Cesar Chavez (2014)
- Pan’s Labyrinth (2006)
- Motorcycle Diaries (2004)
- Mi Vida Loca (1994)
- Instructions Not Included (2013)
- Chicano I & II: The Mexican American Heritage Series (1971)
- La Mission (2010)
- Babel (2006)
- 125 Franco’s Blvd (2010)
- Don’t Let Me Drown (2009)
- Bless Me, Ultima (2012)
- Walkout (2006)
- Gotta Kick It Up! (2002)
- Mosquita y Mari (2012)
- Gun Hill Road (2011)
- American Experience: Roberto Clemente (2008)
In addition to the 25 films submitted in the nomination list released today, Castro reiterated his recommendations for films he submitted in 2021 and 2023.
Background
The National Film Registry, established by Congress in 1988, seeks to preserve films with cultural, historical, or aesthetic significance to life in the United States. Every year, the National Film Preservation Board at the Library of Congress selects 25 additional films for preservation in the Film Registry. Despite the Film Registry’s mandate to represent the range and diversity of American film heritage, less than five percent of the 875 inducted titles are Latino-driven stories.
In 2021, as chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, Congressman Castro successfully advocated for Selena — the 1997 biopic starring Jennifer Lopez— to be added to the registry, writing that the film “has become a beloved icon of Latino culture and has found widespread mainstream success, proving once and for all that Latino stories are American stories.” Castro was later successful in securing the inclusion of ¡Alambrista! and The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez.
In addition to his work with the National Film Registry, Castro also submits an annual list of Latino music nominations to the National Recording Registry. He expects to release his 2024 nomination list for the National Recording Registry in September.
Congressman Castro is a longtime advocate for greater Latino representation in American media and has pushed U.S. institutions to improve their representation of Latino contributions to American culture and society. He was instrumental in the 2020 passage of legislation establishing the National Museum of the American Latino and has been an outspoken voice for Latino inclusion in American film, television, and publishing.
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