SHOW NOTES

How do you advocate for stories that need to be amplified and recognized?

In episode 67 of Ellas, I had the wonderful opportunity to speak with Josie Meléndez who driven by love for her culture, Josie approaches storytelling while dedicating her life and career to advocate for female-driven Latinx and Caribbean stories to be amplified in film.

Josie Meléndez is an entertainment journalist and founder of Film Posers, a platform hosted by four Boricuas dedicated to analyzing film and television from their cultural perspective.

As you all know, I love film so it was amazing to once again combine my two passions of amplifying Latina voces and film! I started to listen to Film Posers during lockdown and it was an honor to amplify Josie’s incredible journey of breaking into film criticism and entertainment journalism.

She was placed as a finalist for the inaugural 2021 Circle of Confusion Writers Discovery Fellowship and her feature script ‘Swimming in Cuba’ placed in the second round of Network ISA’s Fast Track Fellowship as well as a semifinalist in WeScreenplay’s Diverse Voices Screenwriting Lab.

In this inspiring conversation, Josie shared with me about how she almost dropped out twice from SCAD and how she was able to maintain paving her path to graduation. She also spoke about how she was able to achieve being one of the first Puerto Rican women film critics to go to Cannes Film Festival alongside Ileana Meléndez and how lockdown has open many opportunities for BIPOC critics to make their voices and perspectives be heard.

Josie also talks about how it’s important to not feel shame working a service job while making your dreams happen, how it’s vital to network across to help each other grow in your industry, and creating art that heals you.

Listen to this empowering episode now to remind you that it’s possible to advocate for your stories, helping your peers rise and creating what makes you whole.

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CONNECT WITH JOSIE!

Follow Josie on Letterboxd: @josiemarie

Follow Josie on Twitter: @TheJosieMarie

Listen to Film Posers

Follow Josie on Twitter: @filmposers

Watch Film Posers on YouTube

Follow FIlm Posers on Facebook

+ IN THIS INSPIRING CONVERSATION WE TALK ABOUT...

1:35 - Support Ellas by donating to our Buy Me a Coffee!

4:02 - It's important to give a diverse perspect into film criticism, especially from a Boricua perspective

4:55 - We also need more Latina voices in podcasting and Film Posers with Latinx Lens gives us that much needed representation

6:05 - Josie is an orgullosa Boricua who believes that "where we're going, where we've been and where we are is constantly evolving"

7:35 - When you're proud of your roots and take it wherever you go and do it creates a ripple effect

8:42 - Josie shares how she almost dropped out of SCAD twice and how she didn't allow her imposter syndrome to take control

12:11 - Discover how Film Posers was born and how people were reacting to their Boricua input

15:09 - You can count on less than five fingers the Boricua film critics that have been in Cannes and Josie alongside Ileana Meléndez were the first Boricua women film critics to achieve that honor

18:50 - Josie shares the actions that made it more accessible for BIPOC film critics to get their foot in the door

21:32 - Will the same accesibility to BIPOC film critics that occured during lockdown continue in the industry? Listen to find out!

21:50 - Remember to subscribe to our newsletter!

23:20 - With more diverse led films there should be more diverse voices giving their critic and even with white led films

25:40 - "People will still deny you access" and Josie is holding the door with her accomplishments to help other critics get in

28:10 - "It's all about networking across and bring all each other up at the same time"

29:42 - Start collaborating with friends, artists, creators and individuals who are at your same level because when they succeed you'll also be at their same level

30:56 - Listen to Josie opening up about how she wants her screenwriting to heal herself and others

33:34 - Everyone deserves to be paid equally and it's important to talk about how every individual in the film industry needs to be compensated

34:52 - Josie shares her next plans for her novel and scripts

36:40 - Listen to Josie's advice if you feel shameful of working a service job while making your dreams happen

38:37 - Discover what we can expect for Josie and Film Posers

40:36 - Find out what it took for Josie to step into her power and proudly declare she's an entertainment journalist without feeling like an imposter

43:09 - Josie opens up about her imposter syndrome and how she combats it

44:11 - "Going back to your home isn't a bad thing. You need to recharge and remind yourself where you came from. If there are setbacks it's only to push you farther."

44:58 - Follow Josie and Film Posers!