Fun Downloads

English with Spanish subtitles

With John Leguizamo, Liev Schreiber, Laurence, Edward James Olmos, Ethan Hawke, Laurence Fishburne, Bryan Cranston, Benjamin Bratt, Rosario Dawson, Bryan Cranston

Join actor John Leguizamo on a journey to discover Latin American heroes and their remarkable contributions. In this new three-part series, John takes viewers on a captivating journey, delving into both well-known and lesser-known stories of Latin American and Latino history, spanning thousands of years from ancient empires to the present, and shedding light on the rich and often overlooked history of Latin American indigenous populations and Latinos.

Episode 1: Echoes of Empires
John Leguizamo examines the accomplishments and rise of the Great Empires and civilizations in Mexico, South America, and the Caribbean, from the Taino to the Olmec, Inca, Maya, Aztec, and more. Although they were ultimately decimated by the conquistadors, these societies had an enduring influence on culture, agriculture, and the sciences.

Episode 2: Threads in the American Tapestry
Explore how Latino DNA has been woven into the identity of the United States since before its inception and has been pivotal all along the way. Despite facing severe discrimination and violence, Latinos were present and contributed in pivotal ways to the fabric of this nation. Highlighting key figures and events, host John Leguizamo shows how Latinos helped build the United States we know today.

Episode 3: Solidarity in the New Era
John Leguizamo explores the rise of the new empire, the United States. While Latinos were often relegated to the fringes of mainstream society, they made profound contributions to the fabric of the U.S. and beyond. Reflecting on his journey, John learns that Latinos were not just an asterisk in history, but that Latino history is the history of the United States.

Press

“It serves as a corrective for the fact that 87% of Latino contributions to making America are absent in history textbooks.” – Mark Kennedy, The Associated Press

“John Leguizamo is tired of the omission of Latino stories in American history. And he is doing something about it … again.” – Andrea Flores, LA Times

“A panoramic, kaleidoscopic landscape exalting the centuries‑long contributions of Latinos … a colorful, dramatic and illuminating cinematic wall mural.”Latin Heat

“With expert knowledge from historians, anthropologists, authors...the series hopes to assert the long-standing existence of Latinos in the U.S. and their contributions.” – Andrea Flores, LA Times

About the Director

Ben DeJesus is a director, producer, and writer with over 15 years experience in the multicultural market. Ben’s career began at MTV, where he was a producer/writer for several seasons of Cribs, before working with VH1, Mun2, and The N. In 2003, Ben launched Diamante Pictures, a full-service production & post facility in NYC, delivering 100+ hours of television, commercials, digital content, and music videos, with over 750 million views online. He’s worked with artists Romeo Santos, Don Omar, Prince Royce, Nore, Fat Joe, Chino & Nacho, Joey Montana, Machine Gun Kelly, and more. In 2012, Ben directed the PBS documentary John Leguizamo’s Tales from a Ghetto Klown, which was produced by Oscar winner Fisher Stevens and received NALIP’s Estela Award. In 2016, Ben co-founded NGL Studios with John Leguizamo and David Chitel, where he creates branded, television, and documentary projects.

Notes on Film

“I want my daughter to feel very proud of the ancestry and the roots that she came from and hopefully other Latino kids and adults will get the same feeling from it.”

– Ben DeJesus, Director