Session #5 March 25, 2010

Keynote Speaker: Moctesuma Esparza, partner, Esparza-Katz Productions

An award-winning producer, entertainment executive, entrepreneur and community activist, Moctesuma Esparza is well known for his contributions to the movie industry and commitment to creating opportunities for Latinos everywhere.  A partner in the highly successful Esparza-Katz Productions with Robert Katz, he worked with stars such as Robert Redford, Jennifer Lopez, Andy Garcia, Jimmy Smits, Martin Sheen, Robert Duvall and Halle Berry. Moctesuma founded Maya Entertainment, a vertically integrated media content company providing full service motion picture distribution and production. Maya acquires, produces and distributes multicultural and Latino themed product for all distribution platforms throughout the world and is dedicated to the growing U.S. Latino market.

Esparza’s latest film “Walkout” for HBO, tells the true story of the Chicano student uprising in East Los Angeles in 1968, where dramatic walkouts were staged at high schools to protest academic prejudice and dire school conditions. Other films produced by Esparza include: “Price of Glory” (2000), “Introducing Dorothy Dandridge”(1999), “Selma, Lord, Selma” (1998), “Selena” (1997),  “The Disappearance of Garcia Lorca” (1997),“The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez” (1994) and “The Milagro Beanfield War” (1988) among others.

In addition to his productions, Moctesuma established Maya Cinemas, a growing chain of modern movie theatre mega-plexes committed to providing the highest quality movie-going experience in new and redeveloping market areas with a strong Latino presence.

Born and raised in Los Angeles, Esparza received a B.A. and MFA in Theatre Arts, Motion Pictures and Television, from UCLA and from the onset of his career dedicated himself to empowering and transforming the images of Latinos in Hollywood.