Alex Rivera (born 1973, in

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

) is a

Sundance A Sun Dance is a Native American ceremony. Sun dance or Sundance may also refer to: Places ;Canada * Sundance, Calgary, Alberta, a neighbourhood * Sundance, Manitoba, a ghost town ;United States * Sundance, New Mexico, a census-designated pl ...

award-winning American

film maker Filmmaking or film production is the process by which a motion picture is produced. Filmmaking involves a number of complex and discrete stages, beginning with an initial story, idea, or commission. Production then continues through screenwritin ...

and

MacArthur Fellow The MacArthur Fellows Program, also known as the MacArthur Fellowship and colloquially called the "Genius Grant", is a prize awarded annually by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation to typically between 20 and 30 individuals workin ...

, best known for his films about

labor Labour or labor may refer to: * Childbirth, the delivery of a baby * Labour (human activity), or work ** Manual labour, physical work ** Wage labour, a socioeconomic relationship between a worker and an employer ** Organized labour and the labour ...

immigration Immigration is the international movement of people to a destination country of which they are not usual residents or where they do not possess nationality in order to settle as Permanent residency, permanent residents. Commuting, Commuter ...

, and politics.

Early life

Rivera was born in 1973 in New York City, New York. His father is a

Peruvian Peruvians (''/peruanas'') are the citizens of Peru. What is now Peru has been inhabited for several millennia by cultures such as the Caral before the Spanish conquest in the 16th century. Peruvian population decreased from an estimated 5–9 ...

immigrant and his mother is an American citizen. Growing up as a bicultural youth in

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York New York may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * ...

, he took an interest in the fields of film, digital media, and

science fiction Science fiction (often shortened to sci-fi or abbreviated SF) is a genre of speculative fiction that deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts. These concepts may include information technology and robotics, biological manipulations, space ...

.Sleep Dealer. Dir. Alex Rivera. Perf. Luis Fernando Peña, Leonor Varela, Jacob Vargas. Likely Story and This is That Productions /Maya Entertainment, 2008 He is well known for his work '' Sleep Dealer'', which premiered in the 2008 Sundance Film Festival. He was awarded the

Creative Capital Creative Capital is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization based in New York City that supports artists across the United States through funding, counsel, gatherings, and career development services. Since its founding in 1999, Creative Capital has co ...

Moving Image Award, Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Feature Film Prize and the

Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award This is a list of winners of the Waldo Salt Screenwriting Awardfor dramatic features at the Sundance Film Festival. History It is an award given each year by U.S. Dramatic jury, starting in 1991. The award is named for screenwriter Waldo Salt, ...

Career

Rivera studied political science and media theory at Hampshire College, graduating in 1995. He is also a New York-based digital media artist and filmmaker. Due to his knowledge and background in cinematography, his work address concerns of the Latino community concentrating on political issues such as migration, race and gender. In addition he uses language as a form of satire and humor to enhance the understanding Latinos contributions within various Anglo communities, much like the

mockumentary A mockumentary (a portmanteau of ''mock'' and ''documentary'') is a type of film or television show depicting fictional events, but presented as a Documentary film, documentary. Mockumentaries are often used to analyze or comment on current event ...

'' A Day Without a Mexican''. According to his website alexrivera.com, Rivera states that "over the past ten years he's been making work that illuminates two massive and parallel realities: the globalization of information through the internet, and the globalization of families, and communities, through mass migration." Rivera, captures the process of migration and the social changes immigrants face in order to be considered a model United States citizen.Peter, Hartlaub. "FILM CLIPS / Sleep Dealer." San Francisco Chronicle (10/1/2007 to present) 19 June 2009: E2. Newspaper Source. EBSCO. Web. 9 May 2011 The issues that are presented through his films impact the Latino communities because of the realism that is presented by characters in his films. They establish relationships with audiences, not only from the Latin/Latino community, but from all those who have experience dehumanization from their host countries. Rivera wants his viewers to understand that the "American Dream, is five minutes into the future,Slaughter, Stephany. “(In)visibilities,(De)humanizations and Globalizations: The Migrant Body in Border Film of the 2000s.” Forum for Inter-American Research. (FIAR) where the relationship between technology and a variety of political issues where it is precisely through a visualization of the dehumanization of migrants through technology that the film engages with their humanization." Alex Rivera has made films about labor, immigration, and politics since the 1990s.Decena, Carlos Ulises, and Margaret Gray. "Putting Transnationalism to Work: AN INTERVIEW WITH FILMMAKER ALEX RIVERA." Social Text 24.3 (2006): 131-138. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 9 May 2011. Some of his work has been viewed as

mockumentaries A mockumentary (a portmanteau of ''mock'' and ''documentary'') is a type of film or television show depicting fictional events, but presented as a Documentary film, documentary. Mockumentaries are often used to analyze or comment on current event ...

and works that illustrate the transnational struggles of immigrants.Delfin, Vigil. "'El Norte,' more relevant than ever, makes return visit." ''

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'' (10/1/2007 to present) 05 Nov. 2008: E1. Newspaper Source. EBSCO. Web. 9 May 2011. Rivera's work reveals the transnational obstacles immigrants face in fighting for inclusion in the U.S. while providing for public development back in their hometowns. Rivera's films raise questions about "immigrant labor as a mobile commodity and the relationship of this commodity (and the bodies that perform it) to

capital accumulation Capital accumulation is the dynamic that motivates the pursuit of profit, involving the investment of money or any financial asset with the goal of increasing the initial monetary value of said asset as a financial return whether in the form ...

". Rivera's use of hometown associations in his films illustrates the use of transnational neighborhoods (also referred to as

transnational barrios Transnational Barrios as a concept within Latin American and Latino studies explains the social construction of space, place, culture, traditions, and artistic symbolic meanings that are established beyond national boundaries by diverse Latina/o po ...

) as a source of organization. Rivera also illustrates how immigrants use the dollar from the U.S. to reverse U.S.’s exploitation of the immigrant's hometown. His films also critique how U.S. immigration policy dehumanizes immigrants for their labor, and critiques

neoliberal Neoliberalism is a political and economic ideology that advocates for free-market capitalism, which became dominant in policy-making from the late 20th century onward. The term has multiple, competing definitions, and is most often used pej ...

economic globalization Economic globalization is one of the three main dimensions of globalization commonly found in academic literature, with the two others being political globalization and cultural globalization, as well as the general term of globalization. Econ ...

through futuristic examples. Rivera's most notable film for critiquing U.S. immigration policies through futuristic examples has been '' Sleep Dealer'', which is described as a "sci-fi border saga." Rivera is said to use influences such as ''

Star Wars ''Star Wars'' is an American epic film, epic space opera media franchise created by George Lucas, which began with the Star Wars (film), eponymous 1977 film and Cultural impact of Star Wars, quickly became a worldwide popular culture, pop cu ...

'' and '' El Norte'' to express the struggles of immigrants. In an interview Rivera draws parallels to express the U.S. as the Galactic Empire and the victims of U.S.’s immigration and economic policies as the Rebel Forces.

Awards and nominations

*2021

MacArthur Fellowship The MacArthur Fellows Program, also known as the MacArthur Fellowship and colloquially called the "Genius Grant", is a prize awarded annually by the MacArthur Foundation, John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation to typically between 20 and ...

;Sleep Dealer (2008) * Sundance Film Festival - Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award & Alfred P. Sloan Award 2008 * Berlin International Film Festival - Amnesty International Award 2008 * Neuchatel International Fantasy Film Festival - Best of the Festival 2008 * Gotham Awards - Nominee Breakthrough Director 2008 * Independent Spirit Awards - Nominee Best First Feature 2008 *

award 2000 ;The Sixth Section (2003) * Guanajuato Film Festival - Best Documentary 2004 * UrbanWorld Film Festival - Best Documentary 2004 ;Why Cybraceros? (1997) *Cine Festival - Best Experimental 1997 ;Papapá (1995) *Chicago Intercom Competition - Silver Hugo 1995 *New York Expo of Short Film and Video - Silver Award 1995

Filmography

Film

Notes

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rivera, Alex 1973 births Living people American people of Peruvian descent Filmmakers from New York (state) Alfred P. Sloan Prize winners MacArthur Fellows