“The Vessel”, written, directed, produced and starring Latinos, recaptures hope

*The movie was filmed both in English and Spanish, not dubbed or captioned. VL

Movie skillfully navigates a sea change in film making

By Arnold García, Crosswind Communications (5 minute read)

Years ago, comedian and actor Paul Rodriguez was blunt in talking to a group of Hispanic journalists about the dearth of Latino actors and themes in television and movies.

“People tell me, ‘man, you should have been in Platoon.’” In characteristic Rodriguez delivery, he continued listing projects that were hot at the time that his fans thought should have included him. “You think I turn this work down?” Rodriguez asked rhetorically and with more than a dash of frustration. Then he turned his attention to the audience and asked: “When was the last time you went to see me in a movie? Did you pay full price?”

I love movies and always have but I confess to a certain ambivalence to popular fare. I really like shoot ‘em up westerns and military movies. Just between us, I take a guilty pleasure in some of the telenovelas on Spanish language television. But I hate that novelas are overly populated with drug dealers that murder mercilessly in a world of cynically corrupt politicians and police that enable them do it.  If you see Latinos in westerns or military flicks they are sprinkled in sparingly and tend to die early in the feature. (The Chicano/Native American Texas Ranger in “Hell or High Water” is a slight departure from the formula. He almost makes it to the last third of the movie. Progress.)

Stereotypes, like clichés, contain an element of accuracy otherwise they wouldn’t embed themselves in our collective consciousness. An overdose of stereotypes and clichés, however, will rot your mind just as overconsumption of German Chocolate cake will rot your teeth. So, a film like “Cesar Chavez” was welcome relief – one that I enjoyed in relative solitude. Lots of room to stretch out in the theaters that ran it despite a good script, good cast and top quality production values.

This week, an independent film production written, directed, produced and starring Latinos and shot in both English and Spanish will be offered to audiences around the country, including showings in San Antonio, Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, Austin and the Rio Grande Valley. Entitled “The Vessel” in English and “El Navío” in Spanish, it’s a story of love lost and love recaptured; of lost faith and faith redeemed

Marla Quintana, who now lives in Austin, Texas, produced; her husband Julio directed and his brother Lucas Quintana stars in the production done in collaboration with the distinguished director Terrence Malick, another Austinite. It also co-stars Martin Sheen, who may be the first major film star to act in two languages. Sheen plays the parish priest in a town that has lost all of its children and their teacher to a tidal wave that kills them all.

For years, the townspeople decide against having children and question a God that would permit such horror, much to the dismay of their priest.

A miracle serves to restore faith that the sea took along with all those innocent lives.

You should know that I am part of a public relations team promoting the film. We spread our client’s wares and hope somebody else writes about them. I’m sharing these words with you directly because, as a movie fan, a ticket buying customer and a Latino, I liked the product.

I would normally pitch this by noting the film’s impressive creative pedigree. Terrence Malick is a legend. So is Sheen. But I’m asking you not to judge this film on its pedigree, but on artistic merit.

It is a thoughtful, thought provoking work; an independent production that is free to flex artistic muscle because it is independent. Moreover, the Latino characters don’t have to affect cheesy Spanish accents that usually make Latinos wince or laugh out loud. Latinos will also appreciate that Sheen didn’t back away from performing in a second language. His gringo accented English enhances the authenticity of a powerful performance.

There are no cholos no car chases no gunfire in this ode to the power of belief. Despite the film’s bleak opening, it speaks of hope and appeals to the spirit.

That should please those of us who long to exercise more control over the Latino image and depictions of Latino life in the arts.

The Motion Picture Association of America reported recently that Latinos went to the movies much more often than any other ethnic group in 2013. Last year, Latinos made up 32 percent of people who went to more than one movie a month. That’s a lot of tickets.

Latinos have been far too content to buy the short shrift, the condescension and the stereotypes that our money buys. If we continue to pay for what we’re getting now will only ensure that we get more of it in the future. Supporting “The Vessel” won’t bring on overnight change, but it will be a good start.

“The Vessel” premieres in Los Angeles on Sept. 16. In Texas, the film opens in Austin and Dallas Sept. 16. A special screening is scheduled Sept. 19 at the Santikos Palladium in San Antonio followed by a Q&A with the film makers. “The Vessel” opens Sept. 23 in San Antonio, McAllen, Richmond, Sugarland and Houston. For more information on the movie, go to thevesselmovie.com

Garcia, a lifelong movie fan, was editorial page editor of the Austin American-Statesman for 22 years before retiring in 2013. His career in Texas newspapers spanned 46 years. He is now a senior advisor at Crosswind Communications, an Austin, Texas public relations firm.