Library of Congress adds 5 Latino movies to the National Film Registry

Five Latino films — stoner comedy “Up in Smoke” (1978), teen action flick “Spy Kids” (2001), Mexican Mafia crime drama “American Me” (1992), sci-fi adventure “Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan” (1982) and intergenerational indie “Mi Familia” (1995) — have been added to the Library of Congress’ National Film Registry.

“The new Latino-led films added to the National Film Registry tell complex and sometimes difficult stories, featuring Latinos as heroes and villains, hard-working immigrants and goofballs, space travelers and so much more,” said U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-Texas) in a statement.

Castro, a longtime advocate for Latino representation in media and entertainment, has successfully advocated for the inclusion of films such as “Selena” (1997), “¡Alambrista!” (1977) and “The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez” (1982) in the registry.

This year, the polititian gathered hundreds of public suggestions for Latino-centered films and shared the nominations in hopes that they would would make the the Library of Congress list, which adds 25 titles each year. Four of his nominations were selected this year; “Star Trek II” was not his suggestion, although he welcomed its inclusion.

He adds, “Together, these films represent a unique cross-section of Latino contributions to American cinema and showcase the talent Latinos bring to the screen.”

All films are available from major streaming services.

The Times spoke to filmmakers, casts and others celebrating the historic move by the Library of Congress to include five iconic features.

“Mi Familia” (1995)

Directed by Gregory Nava, “Mi Familia” tells an intergenerational story of a Mexican American family in Los Angeles, interwoven with the political and social strife of the city, ranging from illegal deportations in the 1940s to the racial tensions in the 1970s.

“To me, this is one of the great films about Los Angeles — the true film about the heart and culture of Los Angeles, which is the Latino culture. It’s our city,” Nava said.

Nava gathered a knockout cast including Edward James Olmos, Jimmy Smits, Esai Morales, Benito Martinez, Jacob Vargas, Constance Marie and Jennifer Lopez. Though studios were initially skeptical about Nava’s ability to source a full Latino ensemble — and told him to find Latino-passing actors instead — he resisted.

“As a Latino filmmaker, you’re dealing with an industry that’s very tough, but we must create the opportunities for our brilliant talent,” said Nava. “I really feel that ‘Mi Familia’ was a film that really opened that door, and I’m very proud of that.”

Cast members Smits and Morales welcomed the news in separate statements.

“I’m happy that ‘Mi Familia’ has been recognized as an important dramatic film about the Mexican American experience from an ensemble of talented Latino film artists that I was privileged to be a part of,” Smits said. “I still feel its relevancy today.”

Morales echoed those sentiments, saying, “Mi Familia’s lyrical beauty, authentic representation and lovingly crafted execution make it a modern American classic.”

This is Nava’s third entry in the National Film Registry, following his 1983 independent film “El Norte” and the 1997 biography “Selena.” He is working on a script for a Dolores Huerta story.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is planning a restoration of “Mi Familia.”

“American Me” (1992)

Olmos’s directorial debut, “American Me” details criminal life on L.A. streets and in prisons through his portrayal of Montoya Santana, drawing inspiration from the notorious prison gang La eMe. Jewish Mexican record producer and filmmaker Lou Adler, who backed “Up in Smoke,” executive produced the film.

“I turned down other work in order to tell these stories,” Olmos tells The Times. “Now they are using the films in the National Registry as documentation of the culture and the usage of the film medium.”

The Mafia crime thriller is Olmos’ eighth addition to the National Film Registry, following “Blade Runner,” “Zoot Suit,” “Stand and Deliver,” “Selena,” “¡Alambrista!,” “The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez” and the newly added “Mi Familia.”

“They are films that should be understood and given the respect and understanding in the film industry and the art form,” Olmos said.

The East Los Angeles local is set to produce and direct a Luis Valdez love story, “Valley of the Heart,” as a motion picture. The period piece explores the love story between Japanese American and Mexican American families during World War II, highlighting the solidarity between both communities.

“Spy Kids” (2001)

Robert Rodriguez’s 2001 family action flick “Spy Kids” follows sibling duo Carmen (Alexa PenaVega) and Juni Cortez (Daryl Sabara) as they set out to rescue their parents, Gregorio (Antonio Banderas) and Ingrid (Carla Gugino), former secret agents for a covert government organization. Notable Latino characters include their fake uncle Felix (Cheech Marin) and their estranged, but very real, uncle Machete (Danny Trejo).

Though Rodriguez initially faced pushback from studios for centering a Latino family, he finally convinced them by using a James Bond reference.

“You don’t have to be British to enjoy James Bond. Being British makes him very specific, and it makes him more universal. It makes you wish you were British,” Rodriguez told The Times in 2023. “They bought that.”

Upon its release, the action-comedy grossed nearly $150 million at the box office, quadruple its budget. Since then, “Spy Kids” has expanded to a franchise, including three sequels, a Machete spinoff and a 2023 reboot of the original.

This is Rodriguez’s second film entering the National Film Registry, following his 1992 neo-western action film “El Mariachi.”

“A friend once told me, When [my kid] saw your name in the credits in ‘Spy Kids’ and saw you had a name like ours, it just changed their whole future. It changed who they could be,’” said Rodriguez. “That’s the power of representation and diversity onscreen.”

“Up in Smoke” (1978)

Directed by Adler and Tommy Chong, “Up in Smoke” introduced the comedy duo Cheech & Chong in their first feature-length film. On a mission to secure, and smoke, more marijuana, the two chill friends become involved in a trickle of mishaps that they manage to narrowly escape before playing at the Roxy Theater for a battle of the bands. The plot, however, is secondary to their one-line zingers and off-the-cuff comedy.

The stoner film grossed $104 million at the box office on a $2-million budget. Although it initially received a negative reception for its portrayal of the counterculture movement of the 1970s, it is now a widely beloved film credited with pioneering stoner humor in films.

Marin makes his National Film Registry with a two-fer, as both “Up in Smoke” and “Spy Kids” are inducted.

“This is indeed a huge honor. I had a great time making both ‘Up in Smoke’ and ‘Spy Kids,’” said Marin. “For both films to receive this recognition makes me very proud, and very happy.”

“Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan” (1982)

In the second movie in the “Star Trek” franchise, the crew of the USS Enterprise faces off against Khan Noonien Singh (Ricardo Montalbán), who seeks to reshape the galaxy. It is widely considered one of the best films in the series, due to a sharp performance by the Mexican actor, who appeared for only 18 minutes.

“You were fooled by the fact that even when I was off-camera the cast was consumed by my character’s actions,” Montalbán told friend Gil Smith, now president of the Montalbán Co.

Although Montalbán played an intergalactic villain, his real-life actions were much more heroic. Throughout his career, he appeared in more than 100 films, plays and TV shows, always pushing Hollywood to increase the visibility of Latinos with dignity. In 1970, he founded Nosotros to promote positive depictions of Latinos in the entertainment industry through media arts programs. The organization became a training ground for actors Olmos, Lupe Ontiveros, Salma Hayek and Eva Longoria, among others.

“Ricardo’s groundbreaking contributions to film, television and theater have too often been overlooked, despite the doors he opened for generations of Latino actors,” said Joel M. Gonzales, Nosotros’ president.

With the support of Latino Public Broadcasting, Gonzales is producing the first documentary on Montalbán.

“It is a story of an extraordinary life, and a reminder that many of us today stand on his shoulders,” Gonzales added.