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An Independent Film With Great Contribution To Society

If we name you a series of words consisting of Family, Divorce, Suicide, and God, would you associate them? Los Angeles-based filmmakers Jess and Anayancy Thomas did. They devised, produced, and directed the film God & Salsa, a feature film that addresses the Mental Health of a teenager after the divorce of his parents and increases the Faith of a Christian woman.

“We are independent filmmakers based here in Los Angeles who met 9 years ago at church. Our film project is a story that is very close to our hearts as it mainly deals with the devastating effects of broken families, which can lead to depression and sometimes even suicide.” Jess commented on a digital medium.

He further added that “working on the story and the script was cathartic for both of us. We had friends who experienced the loss of their son to suicide at that time.

Currently, the WHO (World Health Organization) revealed that more than 280 million people suffer from depression in the world, a common mental condition and one of the main causes of disability.

God & Salsa present a positive solution to this disease. This drama feature film with heartbreaking characters fulfills the promise of Ecclesiastes 3:4 and was made on a really low budget so some of the crew members had to play multiple roles. “…Pre-production was crucial. Many details had to be ironed out long before production began, which was a challenge as we both have full-time jobs. It was nothing short of a miracle…” Anayancy Thomas said for this international medium.

But, what is the plot of the story?

God & Salsa unfold in a wonderful emotional meeting between two people with generation gaps. On one side is Raquel, a divorced single mother (40 years old) and grieving therapist who partially loses faith over the loss of her daughter to suicide, while Shane (16 years old) is an unhappy teenager whose parents are in the midst of a battle of divorce. Both characters are looking for answers, both are angry and hurt.

Raquel and Shane are in different phases of their lives; however, their lives intersect creating a beautiful collision where each one makes a valuable contribution to the other’s life with the interventions of a pastor who will not give up, an instructor of wise but extravagant dance, a wise old nun, and a sermon.

According to Jess and Anayancy Thomas, God & Salsa is the embodiment of Ecclesiastes 3:4, “There is… a time to mourn and a time to dance.”

How did the story come about?

The story is based on statements by Jess Thomas to a local digital media outlet.

“Anayancy and I met at an Entertainment Business Ministry event that our church at the time, Bel Air Presbyterian, was hosting. She expressed to me that from her personal experience, she had it in her heart for quite some time to write a book or make a documentary about the long-term negative impact that contentious divorce can have on both children and parents.

It immediately intrigued me because when I was a kid, my parents went through a horrible divorce and I was able to relate to it from a kid’s point of view. I remember as a preteen and teen I was really confused, depressed, and lost. I acted in many ways, anger, lethargy, drugs, and alcohol, and over the years I contemplated suicide on more than one occasion.

We met several times to follow up on the idea and both decided that a narrative feature film showing characters going through this would be a much more effective and impactful way to make the point.

We got to work on the plot and although the film is not autobiographical, numerous are things that both Anayancy and I experience: the sense of loss, depression, hopelessness, not to mention faith, and Salsa dancing.

But over time, something beautiful happened; we fell in love and got married. Now, nine years later, with the help of many talented people and organizations like Film Independent, we have a complete movie.”

Knowing A Little About The Cast

Javier Luna

Shane is played by Javier Luna. He is a young model, actor, and singer from Madrid known for his role as Felipe Díaz in Disney’s “Violetta”.

“I play a 16-year-old boy who is struggling a lot since his parents are divorced. He has a lot of pressure and starts to take drugs. It is a story about overcoming these struggles,” Luna told a European digital media outlet.

For this leading character, the Spanish actor pointed out that he lost weight and was intensely involved. “It was a bit difficult to have that mindset at first, but I hope this movie can help a lot of people. As an actor, I tried to make it as authentic as possible… I’m excited about this movie. I gave it my all,” he added.

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Jovanna Vidal

Raquel is the character played by Jovanna Vidal, an American film and television actress, presenter, producer, broadcaster, and businesswoman. She has ventured into shows like Disney Vacations and Girls Night Out, as well as representing Dr. Sánchez in TLC’s Evil Things and participates in the YouTube series Dahr Mann.

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Enio Córdoba & Terryl Jones

Enio and Terryl are married and they are also partners on the dance floor. Both are professional dancers, have participated in numerous championships, and took part in Dance With Me (1998). Since then, Enio and Terryl have performed in more than 26 countries teaching Salsa around the world.

“My deepest congratulations to Jess and Anayancy for risking so much while trusting that this would be a hit. In the dance scenes, we had to show beginners learning. I told some of my old students to dance like they used to before taking lessons. Several scenes later they get to dance normally. OMG, they made me look like the world’s greatest dancer teacher”. Enio Córdoba expressed in his Facebook account for the award obtained for God & Salsa as the best narrative feature film at the Los Angeles Film Awards.

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Carlos Navarro

Navarro performed and composed two of the original songs for God & Salsa. Carlos Navarro is the founder/singer/percussionist/producer of La Orquesta “Son y Clave”, which has been a part of the Salsa-Latin-Mambo dance genre in the United States for many years. This band is well known for being dancer-friendly from beginners to professionals with their tight, contagious rhythm and impeccable elegant presence. One of Hollywood’s best, this band has participated in many media events including, dance competitions, festivals, concerts, etc. They also featured in the film Almost A Woman which won two Imagen awards and one Peabody award. The Fragment was taken from the official website of Film Independent.

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Jess Thomas

Jess is the Writer, Director, and Producer of God & Salsa. Jess Thomas studied Drama/film at San Francisco State University. In 2000, he wrote, directed, and edited a B-Action-Movie titled Checking the Gate, which was picked up for distribution by Echelon Entertainment. Since then, Jess decided to focus on more uplifting and inspirational films such as The Seeker (2004), a human interest story, which was his first documentary feature film. It won the award for Best American Documentary at the Rome International Film Festival. In 2007 he co-wrote, directed, and edited the short film Forever, which premiered at the Dances With Films Film Festival. That same year, the second documentary feature Beijing Girl: Made In China was an Official Selection at the Santa Fe Film Festival. Jed (2010) is his third documentary on opera singer Jess Thomas senior. In 2017, his short Love Always was nominated for five awards at the 168 Film Festival. The fragment was taken from the official God & Salsa website.

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Anayancy Thomas

Anayancy was born in San Salvador (El Salvador) and is the writer/producer of God & Salsa. Anayancy went to Watterson College, a vocational school in Pasadena, California. She has worked in the healthcare field since 2001 at various organizations based in Los Angeles and currently works as a contract administrator. In 2007 she was certified as a domestic violence support group facilitator working with battered women. In 2011, Anayancy joined a mission trip to Mexico with the Bel Air Presbyterian Church, where she helped build a home for a family in need and served as a translator. Under the instruction of Enio Cordova and Terryl Jones, she participated in dance exhibitions and joined a salsa dance team trained by Enio and Terryl, the team won first place at the Aloha Ball in Kona, Hawaii. Anayancy Thomas produced Love Always in 2017. Part of the fragment was extracted from the official page of God & Salsa.

• You Can Also Read: Sidney Poitier

The Golden Gentleman Of Hollywood

Sidney Poitier, the Golden Gentleman of Hollywood, died six days after the start of 2022 (January 6^th, 2022) at his home in Beverly Hills (Los Angeles – California) as a result of a combination of heart failure, Alzheimer, and cancer prostate (according to the death certificate obtained by the TMZ website). And although he is no longer with us on this earthly plane, at ISM wanted to pay a heartfelt tribute to this famous man on the Big Screen.

We can only start with how a Gentleman is identified. A man with this distinction is characterized by the behavior of absolute courtesy with the people around him, deep nobility regardless of gender, race, or creed, and exuberant distinction in any situation. Qualities that were always present in the behavior of one of the Afro-descendant men in Hollywood with values ​​and principles unalterable over time, we are referring to our Golden Gentleman of Hollywood, Sidney Poitier.

Sidney from his childhood in the Bahamas developed high self-esteem. He was not able to differentiate between skin tones, on the contrary, he only saw people with the same rights, duties, and obligations. That is why he was always ready to give his image and resources to the defense of civil rights on the big screen, as well as stand by the African-American political activist Martin Luther King and in turn, participate in peaceful demonstrations such as the Pilgrimage of Prayer for Freedom (1957) and the March for Jobs and Freedom on Washington (1963).

This actor and director was raised within a family and society where mutual respect, great affection, integrity, and laughter were the premises. These teachings nurtured his life and helped him translate into each of the characters he played in the mecca of cinema.

His multiple characters reflected the kindness, sacrifice, dignity, and greatness of human life, thus leaving an extensive cinematographic legacy with more than 50 films since 1950.

His physical departure has been the center of great posthumous recognition by the industry, such as the cases of Denzel Washington (actor), Oprah Winfrey (writer and television presenter), Lupita Nyong’o (actress), and many more representatives of the Afro-American community living in the United States.

“Through his groundbreaking roles and singular talent, Sidney Poitier epitomized dignity and grace, revealing the power of movies to bring us closer together. He also opened doors for a generation of actors. Michelle and I send our love to his family and legion of fans.” Farewell words from ex-President Barack Obama through his Twitter account.

6 Emblematic Movies Of Poitier

Sidney Poitier never really wanted to be an actor. The truth is that at the age of 15 he didn’t know how to read well either. Words made up of more than three syllables were quite a challenge, and every time he had to read them, he got a feeling of defeat.

So, how did Sidney get into acting? The answer is by accident during his stay in New York City. In his search for a job as a dishwasher, he came across an advertisement that powerfully caught his attention and said “Actor Wanted” and although Sidney did not know what that job was about, he decided to attend the casting with gallantry.

That day two stories converged. The first was the impetus of creating a fruitful career in acting, while the second story is the narration of the moment when this actor with entrenched convictions felt deeply offended as never before in his life.

Poitier auditioned but due to his poor reading skills, acting, Caribbean accent, and skin color, Sidney was disrespectfully kicked out. He was held by his coat collar and pants belt and thrown into the street. The words of that man were “You can’t read, you can hardly speak, and you have that accent… Why don’t you go find a job as a dishwasher?”

That day was one of intense reflection for the golden gentleman of Hollywood. Walking down Lenox Avenue, he thought about what happened, and his indignation at that situation that he constantly remembered led him to make the best decision of his life, Sidney chose to be an actor! His choice was based on his love for himself. His thought was that he was worth more than the perception that that man had of him, and once he managed to prove it to him, he would leave that profession, and that’s how this magical journey began…

His induction studies in the performing arts began in the American Negro Theater located in Harlem (NYC). Here, he offered his job as a janitor in exchange for his acting training. After not-so-pleasant experiences, he could be the substitute for the main role of the plot of the work. And on the day of the premiere Sidney had to play the leading role because the main actor (Harry Belafonte) could not attend. In that unique moment, the son of tomato farmers from the Bahamas was able to demonstrate the meaning of perseverance, determination, effort, and with his brilliant talent, he was able to captivate all attendees. Since then, job offers in acting for Sidney began to arrive.

His first professional job was on Broadway in the classic play Lysistrata (a Greek comedy) in 1946. This was followed by the play Anna Lucasta and later his film debut in No Way Out in 1950.

A narrative that is based on the medical assistance to an intolerant Caucasian criminal by a doctor of color (Dr. Luther Brooks) played by Sidney. Poitier’s first film role broke Hollywood’s established stereotypes for African-American actors, while this film was the first to directly address racism.

“My Values ​​are not disconnected from the values ​​of the black community, so I go in front of the camera with a responsibility to be respectful…” Sidney Poitier

Blackboard Jungle (1955). This film struck the social chord of an educational system and helped revolutionize Rock and Roll music in a soundtrack for a big-budget movie. With this performance, Poitier was full of praise for his participation in the secondary role as Gregory Miller, a troubled student who decides to stay in school.

Three years later comes The Defiant Ones (1958) and with it his first nomination for the Academy Awards. This dramatic film had its center in racial harmony. Two shackled fugitives, John “Joker” Jackson (Tony Curtis) and Noah Cullen (Sidney Poitier), escape from the prison truck. As they try to evade the police, they overcome their racial prejudices.

In 1963 the film would come that changed the life of this actor born at seven months in Miami and raised in Nassau (Bahamas), Lilies of the Field. This cinematic drama dives into Faith and is about an ex-soldier (Homer Smith) played by Sidney, who is persuaded by an order of nuns to do farm work and build a chapel. During the process, Smith earns the respect and admiration of all. This leading role brought Poitier his first Oscar, and he thus became the first black man to receive this award for Best Actor in 1964.

“What the character was doing was exhibiting a vast sense of self and the wonders of being alive. The wonders of being a Human and the responsibilities…” Sidney stated in an interview conducted by the Academy of Achievement in 2014.

It was followed in 1967 by In the Heat of the Night. This film also starred the winner of the Honorary Oscar in 2002. The plot deals with the resolution of a crime in a small town in Mississippi. Here, the police chief of the southern place decides to interrogate the only African-American man who was traveling as a foreigner through the city. Sidney played this character, but this outsider was a detective from Philadelphia. This film won the Oscar for Best Picture in 1968.

“When I read the script I told the producer (Walter Mirisch – very close friend) I can’t play this. In the scene, this guy comes up to me and slaps me and I glare at him and walk away… I can’t do that because the human responses that would be natural in those circumstances we’re suppressing serve the values ​​of greed on the part of the acquiescence of Hollywood. You certainly won’t do it with me. Not only will I not, but I will respond as a human being would naturally respond. It blows me up and I’ll blow it back up and you have to put it in writing.” Sydney anecdote. So, it was!

The last milestone that Poitier marks that same year is in the story of Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner? This film is a family drama that involves racial tolerance. The story is based on an African-American doctor who travels to meet his in-laws, unleashing a series of intra-family conflicts associated with racial stigma. The actors who performed the main characters are Katharine Hepburn (Christina Drayton), Spencer Tracy (Matt Drayton), Sidney Poitier (John Prentice), and Katharine Houghton (Joey Drayton). This film breaks the discriminatory social barrier towards people of color, as Sidney becomes the first African-American man to kiss a white woman on the big screen.

Sidney Poitier was also a producer and director from the late 1970s. He was born unusually while his parents were on a business trip from the Bahamas to Miami (FL). His parents were dedicated to the cultivation of tomatoes and later sold them. In one of those trips to sell the agricultural product, Sidney’s mother (Evelyn) broke her waters at seven months of gestation and gave birth to Sidney (her last-child) in the African-American section through a midwife from the North American city, for there were no hospitals for colored people.

The life of this Golden Gentleman of Hollywood is an example of integrity, values, ​​and effort. He learned to read while working as a dishwasher in a restaurant in Queens (NYC) with lessons from a Jewish waiter every night after work. He opened the doors for new African-American movie stars. He broke down social stigmas that fit with the color barrier where African-Americans could only personify criminals or servitude.

At 94, the movie icon left behind six daughters from two marriages, the last to Canadian actress and model Joanna Shimkus in 1976.

ISM mourns the departure of this stronghold man from the big screen. Rest In Peace, Sidney Poitier (1927–2022).

Some of our information was taken from the American Academy of Achievement interview with Sidney Poitier.

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