Sylvia Morales

Sylvia Morales (born 1943 in Phoenix, Arizona) is an American film director, writer, producer, and editor. Morales is recognized as one of the first female Mexican-American filmmakers. Morales has won multiple awards for her documentaries, which portray various aspects of Hispanic American society and culture, including the farm workers struggle, Chicana feminism, and the music of Los Lobos.

In the 1970s, the Chicana Feminist Movement was founded to address the specific needs of Chicanas as women of color in the United States. Morales was one of the first artists to write and produce works in which Chicanas were given a proper name, voice, and image. As mentioned by Jenny Dean, Chicanisma is a concept that gives a sense of sisterhood in feminist discourse. Chicanisma emerged to confront the triple oppression of race, class, and gender within the Latino community. The book, Latina Filmmakers and Writers examine the works of seven celebrated Latinas who collectively represent a 20-year history of Chicanisma and one of those listed in the book is Sylvia Morales. Jose Luis Ruiz who was the producer of the program was in need of a new camera operator since the person who he had hired for the job decided to quit the night before the shoot. Jose contacted Morales and gave her the opportunity to be a part of the technical crew since they had known each other at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), where he had become aware of Morales' camera work. She accepted the offer and became the camera person for the program. During her time at ABC, she did thirteen half-hour documentaries. Afterwards, she began her career as a producer, director, author and editor.

Career

Morales has directed, written, produced and edited award winning and nationally recognized film and video work for the last 30 years in which she moved from the margins to mainstream media. Some were also among the first Latinos to be able to enter film schools and receive formal training. According to Origins of Chicano and Latino Cinema, activists were fighting for a more positive representation of Latinos in mass media.

Morales first emerged with Chicana (1979), a film that traces the history of the Mexican indigenous woman from pre-Columbian time to the present. This film established Morales as one of the first Chicana filmmakers in the nation. This film highlighted and celebrated the Mexican-American culture and identity. Other films that Morales has done are Love and Long Distance (1985), Hearts on Fire (1987), SIDA Is AIDS (1989), Real Men and Other Miracles (1999) and her latest production A Crushing Love (2009). Her most important work according to Osa Hidaldo de la Riva would be in broadcasting television since the media allows Morales to reach a much larger audience. She also worked on the Showtime series Women: Stories of Passion. Another book that she wrote is Children With Autism : The Roles and Coping Strategies of Latino Families in 2010, which is a considered a thesis. She has directed, produced, written and has taught film and video production at California State University, Los Angeles and at the University of Southern California's School of Cinematic Arts. Sylvia Morales has many ways in which to approach the way in which she acquires funding for her productions. One way she mentions in her interview is by creating grant proposals or fundraising to obtain funding for the projects.

-OC Film Fiesta in Santa Ana

-UC Berkeley's Multicultural Center

-Oberlin College Multicultural Resource Center

-Reel Rasquache Film Festival

-Echo Park Film Center

There are many more locations in which her documentaries have been shown.

Future projects Sylvia Morales' next project will be Chicana II or Mestiza which looks at the women: mestiza, chicana, exploring the feminist evolution within the mestiza that begins in the late 60's to the new millennium. In the words of Maxwell Anderson's Joan of Arc, they keep their faith " ... even to the fire."

Morales's documentary Chicana was released in 1979. The film depicts back to pre-Columbian to present times, where it illustrates the women's role starting with the Aztec society till present day where she shows that Chicanas have become an active part in Mexico and the United States. Linda Gross from Los Angeles Times, describes Chicana as "A well-researched and spirited documentary made with much love."

Sylvia Morales' sequel A Crushing Love: Chicanas, Motherhood and Activism was released in 2009. Her film honors the work of five activist Latinas, Dolores Huerta, Elizabeth Martínez, Cherríe Moraga, Alicia Escalante, and Martha P. Cotera. All the female activist portrayed in the film explore their struggles as mothers, Chicanas, and Activist. According to Prof. of Television, Film & Media Studies at CSU Los Angeles, John Ramirez states:“Morales comes full circle to an unprecedented chronicle of the rich history of US Latina women’s leadership, strength and struggle in the workplace, the family, community, society, the world.”