25 years after its release in theaters, the movie "Selena", about the life of the assassinated queen of tex-mex Selena Quintanilla, is reissued with never seen material so far, as two new musical numbers by its protagonist, Jennifer López, film director Gregory Nava revealed.
At 71, the director of films like "My family" and "El Norte" and screenwriter of the award-winning film "Frida", still considers his work to bring the history of the singer to the cinema "the work that most satisfies" him. has given in his long career.
This week, it will give you another joy, because the Blu-Ray version of the tape is being published within the "Archival Collection" of Warner Bros studios, which has released in this format the so-called "cult movies" most recognized from their production, New Line Cinema / Castle Rock Entertainment and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer studios until 1986.
“It was always a historical film, for many reasons, but now it is official. The story of ‘Selena’ is the first Latina in this collection and her name and that of Jennifer López are now alongside those of stars like Meryl Streep and Humphrey Bogart.Nava said in an interview from her home in the city of Santa Fe, in the southwestern United States, where she has taken refuge from the coronavirus pandemic.
Although the recognition is more than welcome, Nava assured that Ever since the film began in 1996, the focus has always been on “truthfully telling Selena's life to fans." In that sense, the fact that it continues to be one of the highest-grossing Latino films in United States history was the honor he was looking for because it shows he did it right. For this reason, he is very excited that the same objective has been maintained when reissuing it today and he declares himself "proud" of all the material included on the DVD.
"We have two versions of the movie. The one that was seen in the cinema and another extended version that was seen on television. There are two musical numbers that were not included in the first one, in addition to more scenes from Little Selena, ”explained the filmmaker.
Further, two documentaries have been included. One with interviews with Jennifer López, who remembers the project and reflects on the impact of the film on her career, Edward James Olmos, who played the artist's father, Nava himself and members of the Quintanilla family. The other evaluates Selena's legacy. Nava is also "fascinated" with the image quality on Blu-Ray. He stressed that "a great job was done" and is certain that the fans will have no complaints.
Latin historical memory
When Nava and the producers Moctezuma Esparza and Robert Katz decided to carry out, together with the Quintanilla, the tape, it had not yet been a year since the murder of Selena, who was shot down in 1995 at age 23 by Yolanda Saldívar, the former president of her fan club, who was sentenced to life in prison for the crime.
It was a "painful process, because everything was very recent." Fans still mourned her and many questioned that a Puerto Rican artist had been chosen to embody the most loved Mexican American artist by the public. on the north side of the border. Today, Selena Quintanilla is an icon in the history of Latinos in United States. His image adorns T-shirts, sportswear, wallets and there are even two makeup lines in his honor, released by MAC.
Your record house, Universal Music Latin Entertainment has announced the publication of a vinyl record with its greatest hits and its figure is in the wax museums of Madame Tussauds in the United States. Not to mention the impact on López's career, who Nava continues to consider a worthy heir to Selena. When new generations of Latinos consume all of these products, their idea of Selena comes from her music and Nava's movie, which is regularly broadcast on television.
"I feel it is an example of how unique the stories of America's Latinos are and the importance of more and more of us telling our stories. Film is the historical memory of many today and it is essential that Let's get rid of all the negative stereotypes that are being used to paint us, "he said. Furthermore, he insists that many urgently remember “that this was a Hispanic country before being Anglo and that we have been in every episode of national history helping to create this nation. We have always been here"
With information from Efe
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