SAN ANTONIO — Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-San Antonio, on Thursday released his third annual nomination list of Latino films to be preserved in the Library of Congress' National Film Registry, where Latino representation is scarce.

What You Need To Know

  • Rep. Joaquin Castro on Thursday released his nomination list of Latino films for the Library of Congress' National Film Registry

  • His nominations include “Blood In Blood Out” — which celebrated its 30th anniversary last year and stars fellow San Antonio native Jesse Borrego — “Frida,” “Like Water For Chocolate,” “Y Tu Mamá También,” and many more

  • According to a report by Texas Public Radio, less than 5% of the registry’s 875 inducted titles are Latino-driven stories

  • Castro has helped successfully induct films including “Selena,” “¡Alambrista!” and “The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez” to the registry in the past

With the help of suggestions from the public, Castro has chosen 25 films to nominate for preservation in the registry.

Included in the list is Chicano cult classic “Blood In Blood Out” — which celebrated its 30th anniversary last year and stars fellow San Antonio native Jesse Borrego — “Frida,” “Like Water For Chocolate,” “Y Tu Mamá También” and many other culturally significant films for Latinos.

The National Film Registry was established in 1988. According to a report by Texas Public Radio, less than 5% of the registry’s 875 inducted titles are Latino-driven stories.

Castro’s efforts to preserve Latino films have proved successful in the past. In 2021, the congressman advocated for the 1997 biopic “Selena” to be added to the registry. Later, Castro helped add “¡Alambrista!” and “The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez.”

“Given the film industry’s continued lack of representation of Latinos, we must continue to make [a] strong effort to ensure that Latino Americans’ contributions to our nation’s cinematic industry are appropriately celebrated and included in the National Film Registry,” Castro wrote in his nomination letter. “Movies remain a crucial form of storytelling that is easily accessible to the public. The media and entertainment industry is the narrative-creating and image-defining institution in America. We look forward to continuing to work together to expand diversity and Latino representation in the National Film Preservation Board and across the Library of Congress. Your mission — of telling and preserving American stories — has never been more important.”

Here is Castro’s full nomination list:

  • “Blood In Blood Out” (1993) 
  • “Frida” (2002) 
  • “Like Water for Chocolate” (1992) 
  • “Mi Familia” (1995) 
  • “Y Tu Mamá También” (2001) 
  • “Under the Same Moon” (2007) 
  • “American Me” (1992) 
  • “Tortilla Soup” (2001) 
  • “The Milagro Beanfield War” (1988) 
  • “Cesar Chavez” (2014) 
  • “Pan’s Labyrinth” (2006) 
  • “Motorcycle Diaries” (2004) 
  • “Mi Vida Loca” (1994) 
  • “Instructions Not Included” (2013) 
  • “Chicano I & II: The Mexican American Heritage Series” (1971) 
  • “La Mission” (2010) 
  • “Babel” (2006) 
  • “125 Franco’s Blvd” (2010) 
  • “Don’t Let Me Drown” (2009) 
  • “Bless Me, Ultima” (2012) 
  • “Walkout” (2006) 
  • “Gotta Kick It Up!” (2002) 
  • “Mosquita y Mari” (2012) 
  • “Gun Hill Road” (2011) 
  • “American Experience: Roberto Clemente” (2008)

According to a release, Castro reiterated his film recommendations from 2021 and 2023 in addition to the 25 films he submitted this year.

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This month, the congressman also called on the public to help him build his list of nominations to the library’s National Recording Registry, where less than 5% of recordings can be attributed to Latinos. He plans to release that list in September.