The Library of Congress of the United States announced the inclusion of “Selena” in the National Film Registry in late December 2021. The film portrays the inspiring and tragic story of Tejano music star Selena Quintanilla-Pérez.
“Selena”, a biographical film produced in 1997, is one of the 25 films selected in 2021 that explore “stories from different communities in the country that generally address universal themes”, according to a press release from the Library of Congress.
“Directed by Mexican American filmmaker Gregory Nava, the film tells Selena’s rise to fame in her family's band — and her death in 1995, at 23, when she was shot by the president of her fan club. The film was the breakout role for actor and singer Jennifer Lopez, who played Selena. It also stars Edward James Olmos, who plays the young singer’s father and band manager, Abraham”.
“Selena” spotlight is also aimed at a Latino audience due to the importance of issues involving migrant families in the United States, in particular, Mexican Americans in the challenging territory along the Texas-Mexico border.
According to the Library of Congress announcement, "'Selena's life, music and biopic have become touchstones in Latin American culture, and her powerful appeal has reached audiences of all kinds."
“In January, Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-Texas, then-chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, nominated the film for the registry. At the time, Castro said the film industry has excluded Latinos and ‘denied us the opportunity to tell our own stories for too long’”.
The films included in the National Registry in 2021 are quite diverse, from the year of production, which can date back to 120 years in history, to aspects related to the creative process. Thus, they range from Hollywood creations “from independent filmmakers, documentarians, female directors, filmmakers of color, and the era of silent movie”.
Other Latino films have been included in the National Register of Films before, such as “Salt of the Earth”, “I Am Joaquin”, “Zoot Suit”, “El Norte”, “Stand and Deliver” and “Real Women Have Curves”.
hungama.com
