PRESS

JT and Big O are joined by actress/writer Gina Marie Rodriguez to discuss Hamilton's streaming debut, as well as other musicals (both liked and disliked).

An all too relatable journey on how family, educators and societal expectations can strongly impact one's own cultural understanding. Truly an open book, Gina shares her admiration and passion for the Spanish language and her Latinidad, while openly discussing the anxiety and doubts it has brought her. Meet Gina Marie Rodriguez. IG: @not_that_gina Website: www.ginamarierodriguez.com --- ¡Looking Bilingüe! is a project conceived, directed and produced by Jade Cintrón Báez , a Latina or more specifically, an Ameri-Cuba-Rican, from New Jersey. This project is a growing collection of vibrant conversations about both the hilarious but also difficult realities of “Looking Bilingual” and how this has impacted lives personally and professionally. These are just a sampling of stories behind why there are so many Latinx folks who do not speak Spanish, or speak it without being sure if what was coming out of their mouth was well said, and the challenges that come with looking a part but not always sounding that part. With these interviews come the realness of native speakerism, colorism, plain ol racism (*from your family too yayyy*) and the struggles to assimilate sometimes to more than one culture all at the same time. ¡Looking Bilingüe! is a hub for biculturalism and biliteracy through the arts, education, and identity via storytelling. This project is meant to be a vulnerable but fun piece that addresses the multiple identities that exist in the Latinx Community. IG: looking.bilingue LinkedIn: Jade Cintrón Báez Contact: misserikajade@gmail.com

#TBT Throwing it back to 2016 and my appearance on Edison TV's "Classic Movies with Ron MacCloskey!" At the time, Westfield International Film Festival was entering its 4th year (as the Rahway International Film Festival) and the Big Dreams & Silver Screens Youth Film Festival was entering its 1st year (as RIFF Jr). Time begets change and change begets progress. Westfield International Film Festival has come quite a long way. Learn more at www.westfieldfilmfest.com!

Gina Marie Rodriguez and Stacy Ignacio, directors of the non-profit Big Dreams & Silver Screens (formerly Rahway International Film Festival) speak about their festival's 5th Anniversary on "Inside Hollywood on the Hudson" and their move to the James Ward Mansion in Westfield, NJ.

The 6th Annual Westfield International Film Festival (formerly Rahway IFF) took place September 20-23, 2018. Sixty-one short and feature length films were shown at The James Ward Mansion Westfield over the course of four days. Miss Persia White was honored as the 2018 WIFF Woman in Film for her contributions to the film industry and her role as an inspiration to other female artists. Learn more about the Westfield International Film Festival at www.westfieldfilmfest.com For more about our WIFF Women in Film, visit https://www.westfieldfilmfest.com/wiff-women-in-film Filmmakers may submit to Westfield IFF on FilmFreeway at https://filmfreeway.com/WestfieldFilmFestival

RIFF Founder and Director Gina Marie Rodriguez explains how our festival began and what you can expect from us in the future. We will be offering acting and filmmaking courses, free film screenings throughout the year and more! Follow us on Facebook and Twitter for new updates! Facebook: Rahway Film Festival Twitter: @RahwayFilmFest Website: www.rahwayfilmfest.com