UCLA

ABSTRACT OF THE THESIS

This paper aims to examine the current landscape of representations in Hollywood through a Chicana feminist filmmaker’s autobiographical testimonio that discusses her experiences as a film student, filmmaker and educational researcher. This paper then discusses future directions for film and media education through the interdisciplinary lenses of ethnic studies, film studies, cultural studies, and gender studies.

To inform this perspective, I have chosen to weave together three components: (a) current data on representations in Hollywood in terms of race, ethnicity, gender and sexuality along with an overview of the history of Chicana/o cinema (b) an autobiographical testimonio through which I share my own experiences as a Chicana feminist filmmaker and student, and (c) a discussion on how to move towards more inclusive representations for Chicanas/os in Hollywood. The goal of this paper is to examine the current state of Hollywood, the prospects Chicana/o filmmakers such as myself face, and how Chicana/o and other filmmakers of Color can persist in making movies that reach wider audiences. I offer my perspective and educational journey as a story that might challenge dominant narratives produced by Hollywood, both behind the scenes and on the silver screen. I present my story as one bridge, alongside the many other bridges built by women of Color in academia and film before me, in order to yield pathways for telling our stories through film. In this paper I will address the role of dominant media as a powerful source of socialization, and further more, why critical race media education of future filmmakers and mediamakers of Color is significant in the larger conversation of media’s social cultural implications.