Ep 102: Rita Moreno and Latina representation on screen

Girls On Film

Rita Moreno: Just A Girl Who Decided To Go For It is the new and inspirational doc telling the story of the Puerto Rican-born American actress, dancer and singer, whose career has spanned over 70 years. Filmmaker and director Mariem Pérez Riera delves into the remarkable life of Rita Moreno and shines a light on some of Rita’s darker experiences as a woman and an immigrant in the industry. In this episode, Anna speaks to Mariem Pérez Riera, who reveals the parallels between Rita’s life and her own. Mariem also shares a childhood experience that made her want to become a director and shaped her approach to the role. Anna then reviews the film with two Latina film critics, Catherine Gonzales and Kristen Maldonado. The pair discuss how Rita has always been an icon and inspiration for the Latina community, and comment on how well Mariem explores and portrays Rita’s life, by combining archival footage with voiceovers of Rita now. They give a valuable insight into Latinx representation on film. Rita Moreno: Just a Girl Who Decided To Go For It is available for digital download now Become a patron of Girls on Film on Patreon here: www.patreon.com/girlsonfilmpodcast Follow us on socials: www.instagram.com/girlsonfilm_podcast/ www.facebook.com/girlsonfilmpodcast www.twitter.com/GirlsOnFilm_Pod www.twitter.com/annasmithjourno Watch Girls On Film on the BFI’s YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLX…L89QKZsN5Tgr3vn7z Girls On Film is an HLA production. Executive producer: Hedda Archbold. Audio producer: Dan Pugsley. Intern: Shanaiya Pithiya. House band: MX Tyrants. This episode was produced in partnership with Rita Moreno: Just A Girl Who Decided To Go For It.