Las Marthas
| Las Marthas | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Cristina Ibarra |
| Produced by | Cristina Ibarra, Erin Ploss-Campoamor |
| Starring | Laura Garza Hovel, Rosario Reyes |
| Music by | David Majzlin |
| Cinematography | Natalia Almada, Craig Marsden, Ray Santisteban |
| Edited by | Carla Gutierrez, Sonia Gonzalez-Martinez |
| Distributed by | Women Make Movies |
Release dates | February 17, 2014 |
Running time | 69 Minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English, Spanish [English Subtitles] |
Las Marthas is a 2014 documentary film directed by Cristina Ibarra, who follows two young women on their journey to their debut to society in 19th century-inspired gowns, hosted by the Society of Martha Washington.
Director
Cristina Ibarra was raised in El Paso, Texas and Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. In 1997, Ibarra graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelor of Science, Radio, Television and Film.[1] She graduated the UCLA Professional Screenwriting Program in 2005 and was selected as a producer for the CPB/PBS Producers Academy Fellow in 2001.[1] She is bilingual in Spanish and English.[1] Ibarra has been making films that explore the US-Mexico border for 14 years.[1] Her work consists of films, such as The Last Conquistador, "Dirty Laundry: A Homemade Telenovela", "Grandma's Hip Hop" and Wheel of Change.[1] Ibarra is currently developing a documentary, "The Infiltrators", with Alex Rivera and co-producing a narrative feature film with Erin Ploss-Campoamor called "Love and Monster Trucks".[2] She is a current fellow of Sundance's Women's Initiative.[3]
Synopsis
Las Marthas is a documentary film directed by Cristina Ibarra, who follows two young women, Laurita Garza- Hovel, a prominent member of Laredo society and Rosario Reyes, a newcomer from Mexico,[2] while on their journey to make their debut in 19th century- inspired gowns, hosted by the Society of Martha Washington. Las Marthas displays an "alternative image of the border-town life" by documenting the debutante dance where young women wear Colonial style gowns in an effort to portray early American historical figures.[4] Through various interviews of historians, former "Marthas" and current debutantes, Ibarra tackles the question as to why these young women are embracing a tradition that is honoring a symbol of American conquest from Mexican territories.[2]
Interviews
- Linda Leyendecker Gutierrez, Designer of debutantes' gowns
- Rosario Reyes, Guest of Las Marthas
- Laura Garza- Hovel, Legacy daughter
- Dr. Norma Cantú, Professor of English and U.S. Latina/o Literature, University of Texas at San Antonio
- Dr. Josefina Saldaña-Portillo, Director of Undergraduate Studies, Department of Social and Cultural Analysis, New York University
Production
Las Marthas is a PBS documentary that was funded by the Jerome Foundation, Latino Public Broadcasting, Independent Television Service, Diversity Development Fund and Texas Humanities.[1] It was broadcast nationally on Independent Lens on February 17, 2014.[1]
Critical Reception/Reviews
The New York Times calls it "a striking alternative portrait of border-town life..." [5] According to Charles Ramirez Berg, a professor of film studies at the University of Texas at Austin, Las Marthas "was bucking stereotypes firmly entrenched in the cultural consciousness".[2] The Laredo Sun also states, "A fascinating look as a world barely known outside of Texas..." and Colorlines applauses the film for its ability to "illustrate how an economically fluid reality, defined by new money sometimes from just over the border" is challenged by the "elite past" of Laredo.[4]
Awards
- 2014 Jury Award, CineFestival
- Best US Latino Film of the Year, Cinema Tropical[6]
- 2012 Heineken Voces Documentary Award Recipient.
Festivals/Screenings
- Ambulante California
- San Diego Latino Film Festival
- CineFestival San Antonio
- Chicago Latino Film Festival
Special Collections
Latinas in America: Exploring the Latina Experience [6]
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Ibarra, Cristina. "Resume." 22 Apr. 2015. Web. <http://www.cristinaibarra.com/resume/>.
- 1 2 3 4 "Filmmaker Cristina Ibarra Explores Unique Debutante Ball in Las Marthas." 22 Apr. 2015. Web. <http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/blog/filmmaker-cristina-ibarra-las-marthas>.
- ↑ http://www.sundance.org/pdf/artist-programs/womens-initiative-2014-fellows.pdf
- 1 2 Christopher, Kelly. "Las Marthas': Debutantes in Laredo, Surprisingly Colonial." The New York Times, 15 February 2014.<http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/16/us/las-marthas-debutantes-in-laredo-surprisingly-colonial.html?_r=0&module=ArrowsNav&contentCollection=U.S.&action=keypress®ion=FixedLeft&pgtype=article>.
- ↑ http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/16/us/las-marthas-debutantes-in-laredo-surprisingly-colonial.html?smid=tw-share&_r=0
- 1 2 "Las Marthas" Women Make Movies<http://www.wmm.com/filmcatalog/pages/c867.shtml>.