“We cannot value ourselves rightly without first breaking through the walls of denial which hide the depth of black self-hatred, inner anguish, and unreconciled pain.” Loving Blackness as Political Resistance by bell hooks Negrometraje is a podcast that critically thinks and deconstructs Black representation in Latin American mass media and films. Negrometrajes is a derogatory yet popular term that translates as “Black Feature Film.” We center our work on Caliban, a Shakespeare's character in the play the tempest. In today’s episode we discuss the coming-of-age film Pelo Malo (Bad Hair) by Mariana Rondon premiere in 2013. “Unfortunately, black people have not systematically challenged these narrow visions, insisting on a more accurate “reading” of black male reality. Acting in complicity with the status quo (Patriarchal masculine ideal), many black people have passively absorbed narrow representations of black masculinity, perpetuated stereotypes, myths, and offered one-dimensional accounts. Contemporary black men have been shaped by the representations.” Reconstructing Black Masculinity by bell hooks
Notes and Links
—Movie Reviewed: Smith, Paul J, Film Quarterly, “Screenings: San Sebastian International Film Festival,” Vol. 67, No. 1 (Fall 2013), pp 55-57
Walsh, Katie, Los Angeles Times; “In ‘Pelo Malo,’ boy’s hair issues spark tensions with mother,” January 22, 2015
—Interlude: “Pelo afro: El cabello que no aceptamos en R.D,” Youtube, August 1, 2016
—Links and Resources: Ortiz-Loyola, Brenda. “Straight or Curly? Hair and Race in Carmen Montanez’s Pelo Bueno, Pelo Malo,”Hispania Vol 100, No. 3 (September 2017) pp. 421-430. Farrell, Michelle. Remezcla; “The Director of ‘Bad Hair’ talks about about Venezuela's Dangerous Obsession with Beauty”. November 19 2014. Garsd, Jasmine, NPR; ‘Pelo Malo’ Is A Rare Look into Latin American Race Relations”, December 10, 2014. Ferrighetto, Marissa. Panoramas; “Pelo Malo: A Look into the Complexities of Identity in Latin America,” September 2, 2016. Foundation, Sasha M. Hey Mi Gente; “Pelo Malo Y Pelo Bueno,” May 27, 2016.
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(Suggestions of movies to watch for future episodes are very welcome.)—Find additional episodes, leave a comment, or support the podcast at negrometraje.com.