January 26th, 2023 (3pm-4:30 Boston | 21:00 Madrid)
Via Zoom | RSVP: https://bit.ly/RSVP-Observatorio or info-observatory@fas.harvard.edu
This session will center on Hollywood’s complicated relationship with the Spanish language, covering the Spanish remakes of American films which were produced in Los Angeles in 1929-1939 and featured the leading stars and writers of Spain and Latin America, as well as the rise of Latino movie stars from the silent era to modern-day cinema. The talk will reveal the unrivaled growth of the U.S. Latino market, its staggering importance for Hollywood, and the reasons behind the painful under-representation of Latinos in American films. It will also explain how Netflix’s content strategy––showcasing series in Spanish––has taken over the audiovisual world, homogenizing the entertainment industry.
Born in Spain, Ignacio Darnaude graduated in Los Angeles with a Master’s degree Phi Kappa Phi award from the University of Southern California Film School’s prestigious Peter Stark Program. Mr. Darnaude has worked in Hollywood’s studio system for over two decades as Head of International Marketing for both Walt Disney Studios and Sony Pictures. In addition to his marketing responsibilities, he created and produced two of the highest grossing films in Mexican history: “Ladies’ Night” and “Niñas Mal” (“Charm School”). He is a member of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences, as well as of Spain’s Academy of Motion Pictures.
Language: English