American Latino Theatre, a nonprofit 501(c)3) company and Latin Heat Media, LLC, have partnered in a joint venture to launch LatinHeat Cinema, a groundbreaking online streaming service that will target Latino movie consumers and allow them to watch films that are Latino themed, produced and which star Laitnos and not available through traditional film distribution.
The idea for the LatinHeat Cinema, targeting the Latino audience, is the brainchild of filmmaker and entrepreneur David Llauger-Meiselman who has spent the past two years closely studying monitoring, examining and witnessing the disintegration of traditional film distribution.
“It’s devastating for indie filmmakers, as I personally know, because there is basically is no way to get our films out to the masses,” stated Llauger-Meiselman. “There really is no hope for most filmmakers to secure a decent distribution deal in the traditional sense.” Adding, “No matter how much your film cost, how great the quality and strong the story is, the odds are against you to ever get your film seen by the public, and a zilch chance to recoup your costs.”
LatinHeat Cinema (www.LatinHeatCinema.com) will launch Thursday, September 17, 2015, on the occasion of the premiere of Llauger-Meiselman’s film Strike One, in Los Angeles. Strike One is an American-Latino urban drama and award-winning indie film whose focus is on the effects of the unjust and cruel Three Strikes Law has on Latino youth. Strike One stars Danny Trejo, Johnny Ortiz, Alma Martinez, James Russo, Billy Gallo, French Stewart, Jocelyn Cruz, Maria Isa, Lawrence Smilgys, and Reginald VelJohnson. LatinHeat Cinema will offer online movie consumers the opportunity to rent Strike One for $3.99 or purchase it for $9.99.
Llauger-Meiselman teamed with Latin Heat Media LLC, an integrated, multi-media entertainment company and established brand servicing Latinos in entertainment, and its CEO and President, Bel Hernandez Castillo, CEO/President. Llauger-Meiselman and Hernandez Castillo bring years of experience in working with Latino filmmakers and have worked closely together to develop this online theatre screen with the capacity to reach the lion’s share of Latino movie consumers via the multiple digital platforms available: Laptops, smartTVs, tablets and mobile devices. The end result is www.LatinHeatCinema.com, an online Latino streaming vehicle.
“When David came to us with the idea, he also came with the perfect film we could test the market with, his film, Strike One,” said Hernandez Castillo. “Here is an action film, with one of the most recognizable names in Hollywood, Danny Trejo. We are excited that LatinHeat Cinema will be a home to media content by, about and starring Latinos.” Hernandez Castillo also went on to point out that LatinHeat Cinema looks forward to providing a market channel relationship to help filmmakers build-out.