On Tuesday, November 10th, guests gathered for a private screening and world premier of HBO’s new documentary The Latin Explosion: A New America.
With mojitos, margaritas, and caipirinhas in hand, guests began to embrace the Latino culture in the gorgeous Hudson Theater. Surrounded by touches of gold and stunning cascades of lilies and hydrangeas, guests mingled as they tried foods from different regions of Latin America while the stars of the evening made their entrance on the red carpet. In attendance were Gloria and Emilio Estefan, Thalia, Pitbull, Rita Moreno, George Lopez, and Danny Devito, among others.
None other than music veteran and executive producer Tommy Mottola was there to speak and give us some background on how this documentary came to be. “Everybody is asking me, ‘What made you do this? Why did you do this?’ So much of this has been a big part of my life from childhood, but the thing that really made me do it was in celebration of my beautiful wife Thalia who is here tonight and my two children Matthew and Sabrina. It’s really more in honor of them and my family than anything else.”
Moments after, the screen went black and the audience settled into their seats as we took an inspiring journey. Beginning with mambo and cha-cha of the 1950’s with Desi Arnaz and Rita Moreno and leading up to the Latino boom of the 1990’s and today’s global sensations Pitbull and Romeo Santos, the documentary shows the rise of a small minority to the most critical demographic in the United States. Featuring the largest array of Latino superstars, the film was a celebration of the artists and visionaries who have exploded onto the U.S. music landscape and in turn influenced every aspect of American society, from culture to politics to the economy.
At the end of the film, we were left with an overwhelming desire not only to embrace Latin culture, but to live it. A salsa band took and stage and no one hesitated to jump to their feet and hit the dance floor. The Latin rhythm had everybody moving. Emilio Estefan joined the band on drums as Thalia took Dany Devito for a spin. The energy was contagious and nobody was immune, leaving no doubt in the room that once again the Latin influence has taken over.
Be sure to catch the full documentary on HBO November 16 at 9PM.