Written by Clarissa Camacho
My dad and I had the pleasure of meeting the brilliant Jorge R. Gutiérrez. He is a talented animator, director, and he is dedicated to bring Latinx folklores and stories to the big screen, while giving children of color the opportunity to see themselves represented in films and television. In celebration of his new mini series Maya and the The Three, Gutiérrez has created a spectacular, interactive art installation available to the Los Angeles community!
?: Eugene OBREGON Park
?: FREE
Maya and the Three NOW Streaming on NETFLIX.
When I was a child, I would dream in vibrant colors. I dreamt of fearless warriors, unimaginable magic, and daring adventure. I’d turn on the tv, flip through the channels, and upon further realization that I did not fit in the cinematic world. Fifteen years later, my wishes have been answered. Yet again Jorge Gutierrez, is making it happen on Netflix. He pays special attention to detail, accuracy, portrayals and overall storytelling. He has previously created the magnificent Book of Life, which featured beautiful colors, unique animation, and enchanting music.
All of this and more, has been incorporated into the NEW Netflix series, Maya and the Three. The protagonist Maya, is a “spirited princess with the heart of a warrior [who] embarks on a mission to fulfill an ancient prophecy and save humanity from the wrath of vengeful gods.”
During my interview with Gutierrez, he explained his commitment to creating cinematic masterpieces without limits as,“Well being in this medium, a lot of times we don’t get to see our stories and or hear our stories. Not only as characters but behind the scenes. So from the beginning I wanted to work with talent, and yes, I’m from Mexico, but I wanted talent from ALL of Latin America,” said Gutierrez.
Although, to be clear, his road to success wasn’t easy, as his first day as an animator was a bit unconventional, “Well… I mean I always tell the story of my first day as an animator at Sony. I got yelled at as they told me, Janitorial services were supposed to be here an hour ago. And it’s because animators didn’t look like me. So I said, okay, that’s my first introduction into Hollywood and uh.. I kept working my way through. Ya know, It’s been twenty one years, and or twenty years people were more openly racist I think.”
Gutiérrez prevailed, he excelled, and he has now won over the hearts of millions of Latinos. Netflix and Gutiérrez celebrate the Latinx community, and have even lent over a beautiful, Interactive art experience to Eugene A. Obregon Park. Where children and adults alike can experience the magic experience for free. Bravo!
