Retablo screening and Q&A with director Alvaro Delgado Aparicio at the Landmark Theatre and hosted by the Wrap.
Alvaro Delgado-Aparicio wasn’t sure for a long time how the people of Peru would embrace his film, “Retablo,” which tells the story of a teenage boy in a small town who discovers that his beloved father is secretly gay. But to his very pleasant surprise, he found out that upon release it drew sellout crowds across the country.
“This is a tale about the conflict between tradition and modernity,” the director said at TheWrap’s Awards Screening Series. “If you go beyond the capital, you go to towns that are very cut off from the rest of the world and are very set in their ways. There are a lot of paradigm shifts that have to be shifted.”
“Retablo” has been shown around the world over the last couple of years, starting with a premiere at the 2017 Festival de Cine De Lima and later going on festival tour that included stops in Berlin and New York. Now, it is Peru’s pick for the 2020 Best International Film Oscar.
Peru is a country with no same-sex marriage laws, and outside of Lima, there’s almost no public discussion of homosexuality whatsoever. This led Aparicio to create a film that would tackle such taboos through the framing of a coming-of-age tale.
On top of the usual questions of identity that come with such a story, there is a unique cultural angle in that the boy, Segundo, is training to take his father’s job as a maker of retablos, which translates literally as “altar piece” but in Peruvian culture can be household or church miniature altars that honor God and/or family. Segundo’s family makes retablos of the household kind, placing delicately crafted figurines into colorful boxes.
“If you want to become a retablo maker, you have to have it handed down from your family,” Aparicio said. “The transmission of art through family legacy was something that I found so beautiful.”
Aparicio wrote the script of the film through the Sundance Film Lab and then went out into the Andes for a year to prep and shoot the film. One of the biggest tasks, of course, was to find the boy who would play Segundo. After searching in dozens of schools and hundreds of kids, he found his star in Junior Bejar Roca, who impressed Aparicio with his discipline.
But when he read through the “Retablo” script with Roca’s parents, they were shocked to see how the film discussed homosexuality so openly. Despite this, they told Aparicio that they would leave it up to their son to decide if he wanted to take part in the movie.
“He told me, ‘You need to help me, I’ve never acted in my life…but I want to do it,” Aparicio said. “I think this is a really important character and it could help a lot of people in our country.”
Though it first began its festival run two years ago, “Retablo” wasn’t selected as an Oscar hopeful until this year because it only got a theatrical release in Peru this past May. Aparicio said that many cinemas weren’t initially interested in the film because it wasn’t commercial enough, especially since it is filmed in the indigenous language Quechua rather than Spanish.
“The forecast was that we were only going to be in cinemas for three days since no one would go…but then something magical happened,” he said. “It ended up selling out for nine weeks. Not just in Lima but everywhere.”
“To me, it was a sign that something is happening. We have received letters from parents talking about how they are trying to understand their kids in a different way. Families are seeing this film together. It shows to me that with love, anything is possible.”
35 Stars Who Need Only an Oscar to EGOT, From Hugh Jackman to Cynthia Erivo (Photos)
The EGOT -- an acronym for Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony -- is the greatest honor in entertainment. These stars are (or were) close to achieving it.
Cynthia Nixon (1966 - )
Emmys (2): Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series, "Sex and the City" (2004); Guest Actress in a Drama Series, "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (2008)
Grammy: Spoken Word Album, "An Inconvenient Truth" (2008)
Tonys (2): Actress in a Play, "Rabbit Hole" (2006); Featured Actress in a Play, "Lillian Hellman's The Little Foxes" (2017)
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Lin-Manuel Miranda (1980 - )
Emmy: Original Music and Lyrics, "67th Annual Tony Awards" (2014)
Grammys (2): Best Musical Theater Album, "In the Heights" (2008) and "Hamilton" (2017)
Tonys (3): Score, "In the Heights" (2008) and "Hamilton" (2016); Musical, "Hamilton" (2016)
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Hugh Jackman (1968 - )
Emmy: Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program, "58th Annual Tony Awards" (2004)
Grammy: Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media, "The Greatest Showman" (2018)
Tony: Actor in a Musical, "The Boy From Oz" (2004)
Harry Belafonte (1927 - )
Emmy: Performance in a Variety or Musical Program or Series, "The Revlon Revue" (1960)
Grammys (2): Folk Performance, "Swing Dat Hammer" (1960); Folk Recording, "An Evening With Belafonte/Makeba" (1965)
Tony: Supporting Actor in a Musical, "John Murray Anderson's Almanac" (1954)
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Cynthia Erivo (1987 - )
Daytime Emmy: On-Camera Musical Performance in a Daytime Program, "Today" (2017)
Grammy: Musical Theater Album, "The Color Purple" (2016)
Tony: Actress in a Musical, "The Color Purple" (2016)
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Bette Midler (1945 - )
Emmys (3): Special - Comedy, Variety or Music, "Bette Midler Ol' Red Hair Is Back" (1978); Performance in a Variety or Music Program, "Bette Midler: Diva Las Vegas" (1997) and "The Tonight Show" (1992)
Grammy (3): Best New Artist (1973); Best Female Pop Vocal Performance, "The Rose" (1980); Record of the Year, "Wind Beneath My Wings" (1989)
Tony: Actress in a Musical, "Hello, Dolly!" (2017)
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Audra McDonald (1970 - )
Emmy: Special Class Program, "Live From Lincoln Center" (2015)
Grammys (2): Classical Album and Opera Recording, "Weill: Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny" (2008)
Tonys (6): Featured Actress in a Musical, "Carousel" (1994); Featured Actress in a Play, "Master Class" (1996); Featured Actress in a Musical, "Ragtime" (1998); Featured Actress in a Play, "A Raisin in the Sun" (2004); Actress in a Musical, "The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess" (2012); Actress in a Play, "Lady Day at Emerson's Bar & Grill" (2014)
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Cyndi Lauper (1953 - )
Emmy: Guest Actress in a Comedy Series, "Mad About You" (2005)
Grammys (2): Best New Artist (1984); Musical Theater Album, "Kinky Boots" (2013)
Tony: Score, "Kinky Boots" (2013)
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Marc Shaiman (1959 - )
Emmy: Writing in a Variety or Music Program, "The 64th Annual Academy Awards" (1992)
Grammy: Musical Show Album, "Hairspray" (2002)
Tony: Score, "Hairspray" (2003)
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Lily Tomlin (1939 - )
Emmys (6): Writing in a Comedy-Variety or Music Special, "Lily" (1974) and The Lily Tomlin Special (1976) and "The Paul Simon Special" (1978); Variety, Music or Comedy Program, "Lily" (1974) and "Lily: Sold Out" (1981); Voiceover Performance, "An Apology to Elephants" (2013)
Grammy: Comedy Recording, "This Is a Recording" (1971)
Tony: Actress in a Play, "The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe" (1986)
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Billy Porter (1969 - )
Emmy: Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series, "Pose" (2019)
Grammy: Best Musical Theater Album, "Kinky Boots" (2013)
Tony: Lead Actor in a Musical, "Kinky Boots" (2013)
Dick Van Dyke (1925 -)
Emmys (4): Actor in a Comedy Series, "The Dick Van Dyke Show" (1964, 1965 and 1966); Comedy-Variety or Music Series, "Van Dyke and Company" (1977)
Grammy: Recording for Children, "Mary Poppins" (1964)
Tony: Featured Actor in a Musical, "Bye, Bye Birdie" (1961)
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James Earl Jones (1931 - )
Emmys (2): Actor in a Drama Series, "Gabriel's Fire" (1991); Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or Special, "Heat Wave" (1991)
Grammy: Spoken Word Recording, "Great American Documents" (1976)
Tonys (2): Actor in a Play, "The Great White Hope" (1969) and "Fences" (1987)
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David Yazbek (1961 - )
Emmy: Outstanding Writing in a Variety or Music Program, "Late Night With David Letterman" (1984)
Grammy: Musical Theater Album, "The Band's Visit" (2018)
Tony: Original Musical Score, "The Band's Visit (2018)
Grammy: Musical Theater Album, "The Book of Mormon" (2011)
Tony (2): Score and Book, "The Book of Mormon" (2011)
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Ben Platt (1993 - )
Daytime Emmy (1): Outstanding Musical Performance in a Daytime Program, "Dear Evan Hansen" on "Today" (2018)
Grammy: Best Musical Theater Album, "Dear Evan Hansen" (2018)
Tony: Best Actor in a Musical, "Dear Evan Hansen" (2017)
Rachel Bay Jones (1969 - )
Daytime Emmy (1): Outstanding Musical Performance in a Daytime Program, "Dear Evan Hansen" on "Today" (2018)
Grammy: Best Musical Theater Album, "Dear Evan Hansen" (2018)
Tony: Best Featured Actress in a Musical, "Dear Evan Hansen" (2017)
André De Shields (1946 - )
Emmy: Outstanding Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program, "Ain't Misbehavin'" (1982)
Grammy: Best Musical Theater Album, "Hadestown" (2020)
Tony: Best Featured Actor in a Musical, "Hadestown" (2019)
Quincy Jones (1933 - )
Emmy: Music Composition for a Series Original Dramatic Score, "Roots" (1977)
Grammy:27 wins, including Record of the Year, "Beat It" (1983) and "We Are the World" (1985); Album of the Year, "Back on the Block" (1990)
Tony: Musical Revival (producing), "The Color Purple" (2016)
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Katrina Lenk
Emmy: Outstanding Musical Performance in a Daytime Program, "Today" (2019)
Grammy: Best Musical Theater Album, "The Band's Visit" (2019)
Tony: Best Actress in a Musical, "The Band's Visit" (2018)
Ari'el Stachel (1991 - )
Emmy: Outstanding Musical Performance in a Daytime Program, "Today" (2019)
Grammy: Best Musical Theater Album, "The Band's Visit" (2019)
Tony: Best Featured Actor in a Musical, "The Band's Visit" (2018)
Fred Ebb (1928-2004) and John Kander (1927 - )
Emmy: Original Music and Lyrics, "Liza With a Z" (1973) and "Liza Minnelli Live from Radio City Music Hall" (1993); Ebb also won for "Gypsy in My Soul" (1976) and producing "Liza With a Z"
Grammy: Best Score From an Original Cast Show Album, "Cabaret" (1967)
Tonys (4): Musical and Composer/Lyricist, "Cabaret" (1967); Score, "Woman of the Year" (1981); Score, "Kiss of the Spider Woman" (1993)
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Bill Sherman (1981 - )
Daytime Emmys (2): Original Song - Children's and Animation, "Sesame Street" (2011); Original Song, "Sesame Street" (2015)
Grammys (2): Best Musical Theater Album, "In the Heights" (2008) and "Hamilton" (2017)
Tonys (2): Orchestrations, "In the Heights" (2008); Musical (producing), "Kinky Boots" (2013)
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Anne Garefino (1959 - )
Emmys (5): Animated Program (producing), "South Park" (2005, 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2013)
Grammy: Musical Theater Album, "The Book of Mormon" (2011)
Tony: Musical (producing), "The Book of Mormon" (2011)
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Martin Charnin (1934 - )
Emmys (3): Variety or Musical Program, "Annie, the Women in the Life of a Man" (1970); Variety or Musical Program and Directorial Achievement in Comedy or Variety, "'S Wonderful, 'S Marvelous, 'S Gershwin" (1972)
Grammy: Cast Show Album, "Annie" (1977)
Tony: Score, "Annie" (1977)
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Alex Lacamoire (1975 - )
Emmy: Outstanding Music Direction, "Fosse/Verdon" (2019)
Grammy (3): Best Musical Theater Album, "In the Heights" (2009), "Hamilton" (2016), "Dear Evan Hansen" (2018); Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media, "The Greatest Showman" (2019)
Tony (3): Best Orchestrations, "In the Heights" (2008); "Hamilton" (2016); "Dear Evan Hansen" (2017)
Jerry Bock (1928–2010)
Daytime Emmy: Original Song - Children's and Animation, "Wonder Pets!" (2010)
Grammy: Score From an Original Cast Show Album, "She Loves Me" (1963)
Tonys (4): Musical, "Fiorello!" (1960), "Hello, Dolly!" (1964) and "Fiddler on the Roof" (1965); plus Score, "Fiddler on the Roof" (1965)
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Julie Harris (1925–2013)
Emmys (3): Single Performance by an Actress, "Little Moon of Alban" (1959); Single Performance by an Actress, "Victoria Regina" (1962); Voiceover Performance, "Not for Ourselves Alone: The Story of Elizabeth Cady Stanton & Susan B. Anthony" (2000)
Grammy: Spoken Word Recording, "The Belle Of Amherst" (1977)
Tonys (5): Actress in a Play, "I Am a Camera" (1952), "The Lark" (1956), "Forty Carats" (1969), "The Last of Mrs. Lincoln" (1973) and "The Belle of Amherst" (1977)
Courtesy: Bill Doll and Company
Cy Coleman (1929-2004)
Emmys (2): Writing in a Comedy-Variety or Music Special, "Shirley MacLaine: If They Could See Me Now" (1975); Comedy-Variety or Music Special, "Gypsy in My Soul" (1976)
Grammy: Musical Show Album, "The Will Rogers Follies" (1991)
Tonys (3): Score, "On the Twentieth Century" (1978), "City of Angels" (1990) and "The Will Rogers Follies" (1991)
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James Whitmore (1921–2009)
Emmy: Guest Actor in a Drama Series, "The Practice" (2000)
Grammy: Spoken Word Recording, "Give 'Em Hell Harry" (1975)
Tony: Performance by Newcomers, "For Love or Money" (1948)
Emmy: 7 individual wins, including for "Omnibus" (1957 and 1958); "Leonard Bernstein and the New York Philharmonic" (1961); "New York Philharmonic Young People's Concerts" (1965); "Beethoven's Birthday" (1972); and "Carnegie Hall: The Grand Reopening" (1987)
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