Day: January 19, 2022

When COVID unexpectedly shut down the LA comedy clubs, Latina stand-up comedian, writer and actress Carlie Mantilla used the time away from the stage to try something completely different: she wrote a Christmas TV movie. Angel Falls Christmas will premiere exclusively on GAC Family on Friday, November 26 at 8PM ET. The movie stars Jessicа Lowndes as Ally, а workаholic doctor who breаks up with her boyfriend just before Christmаs. However, а chаnce encounter with а hаndsome bаristа (Chаd Michаel Murrаy) mаy be just whаt she needs to shаke her holidаy blues.

Mantilla co-wrote the screenplay with her fiance John Eliot Jordan (Loudermilk) and also appears in the movie. “We were in the middle of COVID, and at the time we were quarantining  with John’s grandma for a few weeks on Cape Cod. We’d write all day in her basement while she read Bitcoin books and played online bridge tournaments. Then at 6 on the dot, she’d call us up for a glass of chardonnay and some cheese. It was the perfect environment to write a festive holiday rom com!” 

Mantilla and Jordan have several other projects in development, including two other TV movies. Mantilla’s roots and sensibility, however, remain very much comedic. A fixture on the LA comedy standup scene, she was previously named “Best Comedian in L.A.” by Los Angeles Magazine. .

“I was incredibly fortunate to have two amazing comedy mentors, Rocco Urbisci and Lily Tomlin, who not only helped shape who I am as a comedian and actress but who also gave me priceless advice on how to navigate a career in this industry.”

As a Latina woman in Hollywood, Mantilla is excited by the recent call for more authentic Latinx representation. “For years when I’d go on auditions for Latina characters, I’d read for really one-dimensional,  stereotypical parts that didn’t reflect at all what I knew to be true. The Latino community is so much more than what the industry’s portrayed us as.” 

Despite the recent attention given to this issue, Latinx creatives remain grossly underrepresented in the entertainment industry, particularly behind the camera. According to the 2020 WGAW Inclusion Report, an estimated 4.7% of screenwriters and 8.7% of TV writers are Latinx. Furthermore, according to UCLA’s Hollywood Diversity Report 2021: Pandemic in Progress, among the top 185 English-language films released in 2020, about 3% of credited writers were Latinx.

Mantilla is currently co-writing a comedy pilot (with Jordan and his brother, Tommy Jordan) inspired by  some of her own experiences from her time as one of the only non-white teens in a nearly all-white town in Idaho. 

“I spent part of my childhood in Mexico and the other part in the States. American kids thought I was weird for listening to Grupo Limite instead of N*SYNC. But Mexican kids thought I was just as weird for constantly quoting Kenan and Kel–my orange soda bit never landed!”

Although Mantilla was a teen trying to navigate between these two worlds, the pilot centers on a 30-year-old Mexican-American woman whose life–and identity–get turned upside down when she goes to Mexico for the first time.

“Are you Mexican enough? Are you American enough? I think it’s an ongoing process for so many of us that we just haven’t seen on TV, let alone in a comedy. There’s a real hunger out there for authentic stories about nuanced Latina protagonists,” said Mantilla.

Mantilla’s sense of this “hunger” isn’t unfounded.  According to a 2020 report from Nielsen, Latinx people contribute more to US population growth than any other group and will reach $2.3 trillion in buying power by 2024. Latinx households were more likely than US households overall to have at least one SVOD subscription and, since the start of the pandemic, 70% of the Latinx people surveyed said they had increased the amount of time spent watching movies or series on SVOD.

“I don’t think we can wait around for good parts. I think we have to create our own opportunities and that’s what inspires me to keep writing,” said Mantilla.

“You hear the advice to write the story you wish you could come upon. That’s what this show is for me. A show where a Latina can see herself  in an authentic way–and hopefully laugh a lot because it’s, you know,  a comedy.”

Modeled by Karissa

People often say it’s never too late to go after your heart’s desire, pursuing your dream with a relentless passion that will eventually lead to success. One individual who truly embodies this saying is the award-winning photographer Kapil Ralli, who took the bold step to pick up the camera when he was thirty-five years old. Since then, his decision has continued to pave the way for him. Today, he is an internationally acclaimed photographer who has recreated historic artworks like Venus Verticordia – a painting by Rosetti; The bridesmaid By John Millais; Diana, the huntress by Guillaume Seignac; and many more. 

Kapil Ralli is a renowned artist with over a decade of experience behind the camera lens. His style of photography mainly includes editorials and high fashion. “I love creating theme-based work—I have ranged from Murder mysteries, Sports-based, Dreamworld, Farmland to Hollywood, a Tale of Sisters to Art based such as Rossetti’s Venus Verticordia, Seignac’s Diana the huntress, Gustav’s Water Serpent or Waterhouse’s Soul of a Rose,” he shared.

Kapil was born and brought up in India before relocating to New York City with his family back in 2008. In this land of opportunities and city of possibilities, he found his passion for creating art through the lens and bringing images to life. “I wasn’t into photography before we moved to the US—I took it up when I was in NY. But the more I got into it, the more serious I became,” he shared.

For the next eleven years, he worked and lived in the city, upgrading his skills as a professional photographer and getting his professional camera gear and certificates through the NY Institute of Photography. His certification gave him a new artistic perspective.  “I started to look at things differently—the light, the colors, the texture, the angles, the viewpoint, the story. I evolved,” he said.

Since then, his extraordinary artwork has been published in over 40 magazines, including Vanity, Moevir & Flannele (French Magazines), Lucy, Elegant, Ellements, Opium, Pump, Selin, to name a few. In addition, he has received international accolades such as the Black Spider Award, One Eyeland Award and the widely acclaimed International Color Award, which receives over 6200 entries from over 73 countries. He is also the Brand Ambassador for Modelmanagement.com, the world’s largest modeling platform.

Kapil’s art style is set apart by his unique color themes, compositions, and how he interprets the art around him. “I don’t just shoot. I create art—I have a vision, and then I create it. I work backward by first visualizing the image I want to create. Then I start to work backward. Which model, location, colors, dresses, time off day, mood, light, make-up, etc. In the end, my bold colors/composition/picture harmony is what sets me apart,” he says.

Kapil wants to continue establishing his brand as a photographer in the art industry in the coming years. “I want to be published in the world’s top magazines and create a name for myself. I want to create a visual stamp for myself. Whenever someone sees my work—they can identify it’s me,” he says.

As the new year begins artists across the world are trying to make their mark, it seems that new music has been dropping left and right. It can be hard as a fan to find new artists and songs that reflect your inner musical taste, especially given the amount of music being released everyday on platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, and Youtube. I have been attempting to find new artists that resonate with me and that deserve more attention on the national and even international stage.

During my search for new up and coming talent I came across a young artist that goes by the name Kidd Rifft. He is from Birmingham, Alabama and has been making music since 2018. Starting a huge wave in 2021 with the release of his hit song “Colors” he has shown no signs of letting up. To start off the new year he just dropped a new music video on Youtube titled “Alphabet Baby ft. Alyssa Jane” and it is a must-see. A smooth melodic record that gets you in your feels on the first listen.

Kidd Rifft gets intimate on this new track. He shows us a side of himself that fans have been waiting to see from him, opening up about his deep emotional feelings and getting immersed in his storytelling as an artist. The song features Alyssa Jane, who comes in with truly beautiful vocal patterns. The two of them make an incredible duo, and honestly I hope this is not the only track we get to hear from these two up-and-coming artists.

In the modern era of music good songs are not enough to make a true impact, you need to master multiple elements of the business in order to develop a true brand vision and lasting career in music. Kidd Rifft is showing us this exact intention with the release of this music video. Adding a visual element to a track like this makes him stand out amongst his competition, and shows fans labels and investors that he is serious about music as a career not simply just a hobby. His song is available on major music platforms such as Spotify, Apple Music, and SoundCloud. The artist is also on TikTok.

The visual on this track is extremely well done, it is shot very professionally and adds to the story that Kidd Rifft already has told in the record. Having a visual artist who can help bring your vision to life is essential in 2022 for any artist looking to make a career in music. If you like slow R&B/ Pop tracks with killer production, I suggest you give “Alphabet Baby” a listen on whatever platform you stream music and also watch the music video on youtube.

Kidd Rifft is making waves across the music industry with the release of this new music video! Make sure you check him out, and follow him on social media to keep up with all things Kidd Rifft.