Stereotypes of Latino Culture in Film - Dealing with Traditions

One common stereotype in film and television is that Latinos tend to have big families who are tight-knit, and in many cases, live together as well, including the extended family members such as grandparents or cousins. Another recurring theme is cooking - one popular image is that of all the tias, abuelas, and hermanas always in the kitchen making tamales. For some Latino families in real life, these things might be true, but it's not always the case for all Latino families in the United States. Regardless, stereotypes - although often exaggerated - often contain a grain of truth.

Our Family Wedding

Directed by Rick Famuyiwa, this film takes a glance into the world of an interracial couple who decide to get married. America Ferrera who plays Lucia Ramirez, and Lance Gross who plays Marcus Boyd, come from two different cultural backgrounds. With that comes two sets of traditions. One stereotype is that Mexicans don't marry outside of their culture, so the movie portrays the very conservative "old-school" grandmother as being shocked that her granddaughter is marrying a non-Latino. Although this tradition of "marrying your own" is becoming less common, it still rings true for many Latinos. Real life usually becomes a stereotype when it's taken to the extreme. In the movie, they add a goat as being part of the Mexican marriage tradition. While this might be the case in rural areas of Mexico, it's not common in Mexican weddings in the U.S. What's your experience attending Latino weddings?

From Prada to Nada

The large Latino population in the Los Angeles area is hard to miss, and East Los Angeles is known as the city with the most Latino cultural influence. From director Angel Gracia, "From Prada to Nada" takes a look at the lives of two sisters (Nora and Mary), who after their father's death, are forced to leave the glamorous life in Beverly Hills and move in with their aunt in East L.A. By portraying life in East Los Angeles as a "colorful" life, dotted with all the stereotypical references to immigration, gangs, tamales, huaraches, and Frida Kahlo, the sisters learn to appreciate their Mexican background. Do you think this movie exaggerates life in East L.A.?

Tortilla Soup

You can't have a film about Latinos without food. The Latino culture is known to have some of the best tasting food in the world - enchiladas, pozole, and of course, tamales! So what better than a film that combines family with one of life's simple pleasures: food. Director María Ripoll directs "Tortilla Soup," a film about a Mexican-American chef who wants nothing but the best for his daughters. In the film he is portrayed as an old-fashioned father who holds on to his tight-knit family traditions. In the film, he is also reminded that his daughters have grown up and are no longer little girls - they have become more American and more modern.

Real Women Have Curves

"Real Women Have Curves" illustrates the issues that many first-generation teenagers go through. American Ferrera plays the role of Ana, a first-generation Mexican-American who is dealing with her mom pressuring her to adhere to tradition. Many first-generation college students find it a challenge to be the first in their family to attend college. For Ana, the dream is possible, but her mom is holding her back, needing her to stay and work at her sewing factory to help pay the bills. Ana is torn between her goals for the future and her mom's old-fashioned ways. In the film, Ana finds her true identity and figures out what is best for her and her family. Were you the first in your family to attend college? Were your parents supportive?

Latino culture based films can be fun to watch because of the comedic element, and many of them have been hits with mainstream audiences. But for those who come from a Latino background, it seems there is somewhat of a paradox. Latinos connect with these films to a certain extent because they identify with some of the cultural themes, but sometimes, the stereotypes are taken to such an extreme that Latinos cannot relate at all. What was your experience?