May 17, 2012
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Controversy Surrounds “Colombiana” Film For Stereotyping

August 16, 2011 18 Comments

Some colombianos are a bit upset about the upcoming Zoe Saldaña film “Colombiana” for portraying Latinos in a negative light, according to Univisión:

Members of the non-profit group PorColombia, among other Colombian Americans, have taken to Twitter and Facebook to start a grassroots campaign against the stereotypes and lack of Colombian substance they say the film portrays.

“We’re very disappointed that Hollywood is using the Colombian armed conflict again as cheap propaganda for its profit, it shows its total lack of creativity,” said Carlos Macias, the group’s president. PorColombia, which aims to improve the perception of Colombia in the US, is made up of 12 college chapters in the US and Canada.

As part of their #ColombiaIsBeautiful campaign on social media, the group has been circulating an “improved” version of the Colombiana poster, in which the tagline “Vengeance is Beautiful” is crossed out in favor of “Colombia is Beautiful.” Saldana’s gun has been photoshopped over with flowers.

Myself and a few others participated in this Twitter conversation this afternoon and the gist of it was that, first we want to see the film, then judge. Secondly, and perhaps this comes after decades of seeing Mexicans portrayed as maids and drug dealers and gang members, it doesn’t seem as bad as other stereotypes. What about the movie “Machete”? Why does Saldaña have to speak for all Latinos, she’s not even Colombian, when Angelina Jolie didn’t speak for all white women when she made “Salt”?

Check out the convo below:


Stop stereotyping Latinos, in this case, Colombians for your own benefit!! #latism #Colombiaisbeautiful http://ow.ly/64RtH
August 16, 2011 4:05 pm via HootSuiteReplyRetweetFavorite
@PorColombia
PorColombia


Thoughts on Colombiana movie. Will you see it? A positive step for Latinos in Hollywood or just another Scarface? #latism
August 16, 2011 3:54 pm via HootSuiteReplyRetweetFavorite
@latinorebels
Latino Rebels


Just about every Latino I know LOVES Scarface, can quote from it at will, so…what’s the problem with Colombi… (cont) http://t.co/Wh5miLX
August 16, 2011 4:04 pm via TweetDeckReplyRetweetFavorite
@laloalcaraz
Lalo Alcaraz


It’s true, we do point out stupid stereotypes in movies, then go out and watch said movies and get the DVD and quote dialogue with glee
August 16, 2011 4:10 pm via TweetDeckReplyRetweetFavorite
@laloalcaraz
Lalo Alcaraz


@ i cannot WAIT to see “colombiana”!!! zoe saldaña is proud of being latina, a woman, and is a great role model
August 16, 2011 4:11 pm via TweetDeckReplyRetweetFavorite
@sarachicad
Sara Inés Calderón


@ why is it all of a sudden bad for a woman to play a latina killer when latino men do it all the time? @
August 16, 2011 4:11 pm via TweetDeckReplyRetweetFavorite
@sarachicad
Sara Inés Calderón


at least she’s not doing mounds of coke, and actually an Italian-American male actor RT @: @… (cont) http://t.co/wlEKm0P
August 16, 2011 4:12 pm via TweetDeckReplyRetweetFavorite
@laloalcaraz
Lalo Alcaraz


@ why is it all of a sudden bad for a woman to play a latina killer when latino men do it all the time? @
August 16, 2011 4:11 pm via TweetDeckReplyRetweetFavorite
@sarachicad
Sara Inés Calderón


I respect a woman who can shoot straight RT @: @ i cannot WAIT to see “colombiana”!!! zo… (cont) http://t.co/4FXe7n6
August 16, 2011 4:14 pm via TweetDeckReplyRetweetFavorite
@laloalcaraz
Lalo Alcaraz


@ @ when angelina jolie did “salt” no one was claiming she was giving white women a bad name, i’m just sayin’
August 16, 2011 4:15 pm via TweetDeckReplyRetweetFavorite
@sarachicad
Sara Inés Calderón


No, women do say that for her personal life LOL RT @: @ @ when angelina joli… (cont) http://t.co/qO9zgpl
August 16, 2011 4:16 pm via TweetDeckReplyRetweetFavorite
@laloalcaraz
Lalo Alcaraz


@ @ that’s part of this whole “white privilege” — why does one latino/a represent ALL of us? not so for others…
August 16, 2011 4:17 pm via TweetDeckReplyRetweetFavorite
@sarachicad
Sara Inés Calderón


Well…maybe because there’s only one allowed on screen at a time…RT @: @ @… (cont) http://t.co/0XXKQMm
August 16, 2011 4:17 pm via TweetDeckReplyRetweetFavorite
@laloalcaraz
Lalo Alcaraz


@ @ @ I was gonna say how Zoe’s role in Colombiana is a bit stereotypical and predictable, but…<contd>
August 16, 2011 4:17 pm via webReplyRetweetFavorite
@marmol13
María Isabela


@ @ @ …you make a great point about Jolie & I realized I am an equal opportunity action movie hater. Haha
August 16, 2011 4:19 pm via webReplyRetweetFavorite
@marmol13
María Isabela


How about all the crazy violence and stupid shooting in Machete? RT @: @ that’s par… (cont) http://t.co/iKjR0K6
August 16, 2011 4:19 pm via TweetDeckReplyRetweetFavorite
@laloalcaraz
Lalo Alcaraz


Id still like to see Colombiana first, I totally understand Colombian’s feelings towards it. RT @… (cont) http://t.co/iWBtCBJ
August 16, 2011 4:21 pm via TweetDeckReplyRetweetFavorite
@laloalcaraz
Lalo Alcaraz


@ @ yup Machete is a great example it’s cool just know that some don’t agree and raise good points
August 16, 2011 4:21 pm via HootSuiteReplyRetweetFavorite
@latinorebels
Latino Rebels


@ @ I CAN’T WAIT TO SEE IT! OMG I LOVE ZOE SALDAñA!!!
August 16, 2011 4:22 pm via TweetDeckReplyRetweetFavorite
@sarachicad
Sara Inés Calderón


RT @: @ @ @ great point about Jolie & I realized I am an equal opportunity action movie hater. Haha
August 16, 2011 4:23 pm via HootSuiteReplyRetweetFavorite
@latinorebels
Latino Rebels

 

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About Sara Inés Calderón

Sara Inés Calderón is a Latina journalist and bloguera suprema. She loves news, chisme, social media and dangly earrings. Follow her on Twitter @SaraChicaD.
View all posts by Sara Inés Calderón →

  • Pingback: Colombiana isn’t offensive, now go away | Being Latino Online Magazine

  • http://www.facebook.com/Poncho1 Félix via Facebook

    I gave up comic books in my adolescence.

  • Nora via Facebook

    will fb let me say: HELL NO!

  • Proud Colombian

    Shame on Hollywood for producing a film entitled “Colombiana” and having the nerve to glorify violence when the country’s been rocked by civil war for so many decades and so many people have lost their lives working for peace…what an affront to everyone of proud Colombian descendants that have to constantly work to eliminate the stereotype and educate the world about the wonderful and beautiful things the country has to offer…que gente tan ordinaria! Furthermore for my Caribbean people who defend Zoe, where is your pride as a Latino/a? Where is your integrity?  At the end of the day we are all Latino’s and are all stereotyped by hollywood and we should’nt be celebrating that …when they make a film about a  “tacky” streetwalking drug addict and entitle it “Dominicana”, let’s so how enthusiastic your countrymen will be.    

  • Anonymous

    That was a loooong conversation that day!!!!

  • Dumbcolombians

    What Colombian actress…hmmm lets see…maybe we should have offered the role to Sofia Vergara and just made the film a ******* porno. That tacky classless b**** is what Americans know of Colomian actresses. In order for the film to make money you need a big face on the cover, and it aint gonna be Sophia Vergara.

    • DUMBIGNORANTPEEPS

      You’re an idiot. It’s not about the actress.  Get out of you skin for a bit and try to understand the world around you.. You’ll be surprised what you find…or don’t find.

      • RightON

        You are the idiot.  What she said (Dumbcolombians) is 100% true!!  Who’s going to believe that Sofia Vergara can kick ass with her over-the-hill played out body and annoying phony accent?  She is old and has no clout in Hollywood.  The actress that can best sell the movie was considered.  Get over yourselves!!

    • Angelica

      look you stupid ignorant, there is a lot more Colombian talented actresses out there, classy, nice, not just Sofia Vergara, its stupid having a no Colombian actress in a movie called COLOMBIAN plus she is not that nice and good looking, she is trashy! and not that great actress. you dont know nothing about Colombian like most stupid americans are.

  • Girl from Colombia

    this movie is a joke! as a colombian who has been to Bogota many times i can say this is so stupid. they don’t even know the first thing of what the country or even the CITY the movie is based in, and yes, Bogota is a city with well over a million people, not a little village with huts and donkeys in the middle of the jungle. also just to prove they don’t know anything about Bogota, the movie seems to portray that this city has a very hot climate… which it doesn’t.  Bogota is in the mountains which makes the climate actually pretty cold, kind of like spring weather. the point is this movie focuses on the hurtful stereotypes of colombia instead of showing the beautiful country that it is. For the directors of this movie, I suggest researching a little first next time so it doesn’t come out so laughable. Really, why focus on the negative, besides, I’d like to know of one country that DOESN’T have crime.

  • Patricio Rey

    Como colombiano viviendo en Colombia y trabajando por este país desde adentro creo que es una pataleta la que uds están armando. Vengan mejor a trabajar desde Colombia y para Colombia!

  • shopgirl

    you ask why does a caribbean actress have to portray a colombian? because whether you like it or not, zoe is that caribbean actress, and currently, she has more pull in hollywood than any colombian actress and the job was offered to her, not a colombian actress.  so suck it!

    love zoe!  so glad to see her doing well!

    • Anonymous

      Do you agree with what she said about all this? http://latinorebels.com/2011/08/24/actress-zoe-saldana-of-colombiana-thinks-colombiaisbeautiful-campaign-is-stupid/

      • http://www.newstaco.com Sara Inés Calderón

        i studied latino stereotypes in the media in college, that was basically my own self-crafted major.  of all the messed up ones out there, this one fits into several.  i agree that she thinks it’s stupid, and i don’t think she was consciously trying to make a messed up film.  but i think she was trying to do something positive in a messed up environment, so i see her perspective.  i also see what people are upset about.  overall, latinos in the media have a long way to go when it comes to not being gang members, drug dealers, maids, and immigrants — you know, like real people?

        • Anonymous

          Agreed. We think that if the movie title was called ZOE KICKS C*LO, all would be well.

  • Pingback: Hollywood: Colombia Deserves Respect! | PorColombia

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Nicolás-González-Rosselli/1233180007 Nicolás González-Rosselli

    As a Colombian, I hate how Hollywood portrays Bogota (the capital) as 2 little huts and jungle. Also hate the fact that doesn’t matter who, when you hear Colombia, the first thing that comes to your mind is cocaine or violence. Why couldn’t Hollywood at least show something positive about Colombia.  Also, out of all the great COLOMBIAN actresses that are out there, why does some Caribbean actress play the role? Why does the movie have to be titled Colombiana, why not  America, because for all  that read this you know that everywhere is dangerous.

    • nikky

      No entiendo cual es el problema con la pelicula… Estoy muy de acuerdo
      con lo que dijo Zoe. La pelicula nada tiene que ver con drogas, carteles
      o violencia en colombia. Se llama Colombiana porque el caracter
      sucede, pasa y acontece es de colombia. La pelicula el unico tema que
      trata es la venganza y nada mas.

      Ahora yo me pregunto si ustedes les hacen campana sucia o boicotearon
      alguna vez, producciones colombianas hechas, dirigidas y actuadas por
      colombianos: como EL CARTEL DE LOS SAPOS, LAS MUNECAS DE LA MAFIA, EL
      CARTEL, LA REINA DEL SUR. ETC?? Que si proyectan a Colombia de una
      Manera negativa y denigrante.!