Moctesuma Esparza (born March 12, 1949) is an American producer, entertainment executive,

entrepreneur Entrepreneurship is the creation or extraction of economic value in ways that generally entail beyond the minimal amount of risk (assumed by a traditional business), and potentially involving values besides simply economic ones. An entreprene ...

and community activist. He is the chief executive officer of Maya Cinemas, a theater chain servicing to the United States Latino audience. He is also a partner with Carolyn Caldera in the company Esparza/Caldera Entertainment. He founded film distribution and production company Maya Entertainment in 2007. Esparza is a promoter of Latino films, and many of his films focus on

Chicano Chicano (masculine form) or Chicana (feminine form) is an ethnic identity for Mexican Americans that emerged from the Chicano Movement. In the 1960s, ''Chicano'' was widely reclaimed among Hispanics in the building of a movement toward politic ...

themes. He has produced over twenty films, several of them for television, and has won over 200 awards. A participant in the 1960s-era movement for the

civil rights Civil and political rights are a class of rights that protect individuals' political freedom, freedom from infringement by governments, social organizations, and private individuals. They ensure one's entitlement to participate in the civil and ...

and equality of

Mexican Americans Mexican Americans are Americans of full or partial Mexican descent. In 2022, Mexican Americans comprised 11.2% of the US population and 58.9% of all Hispanic and Latino Americans. In 2019, 71% of Mexican Americans were born in the United State ...

, Esparza continues to work with educational, cultural, and professional organizations, especially those that aim to educate Latinos in the business of media production.

Childhood and education

Esparza was born and raised in

East Los Angeles East Los Angeles (), or East L.A., is an unincorporated community and census designated place (CDP) situated within Los Angeles County, California, United States. According to the United States Census Bureau, East Los Angeles is designated as ...

California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...

. His father, a refugee of the

Mexican Revolution The Mexican Revolution () was an extended sequence of armed regional conflicts in Mexico from 20 November 1910 to 1 December 1920. It has been called "the defining event of modern Mexican history". It saw the destruction of the Federal Army, its ...

, migrated to the United States in 1918. His father's awareness of the motivations behind the Revolution imbued him with a strong sense of

social justice Social justice is justice in relation to the distribution of wealth, opportunities, and privileges within a society where individuals' rights are recognized and protected. In Western and Asian cultures, the concept of social justice has of ...

. As a child, he viewed Spanish language films in the many Los Angeles theaters that offered such fare. Moctesuma was a theatre major in high school. He acted, played the

saxophone The saxophone (often referred to colloquially as the sax) is a type of single-reed woodwind instrument with a conical body, usually made of brass. As with all single-reed instruments, sound is produced when a reed on a mouthpiece vibrates to p ...

, and loved movies.Esparza, Moctesuma. Personal voice recording interview. May 24, 2011. He attended the School of Theater, Film and Television at the

University of California, Los Angeles The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Los Angeles, California, United States. Its academic roots were established in 1881 as a normal school the ...

, where he received his

B.A. A Bachelor of Arts (abbreviated B.A., BA, A.B. or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is the holder of a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the liberal arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts degree ...

in 1971 and M.F.A. in the same field in 1973. During his sophomore year at UCLA, Moctesuma created an ethno-communications program at the film school. He wrote a proposal, made the curriculum, and created (and was a student in) the first multicultural film program in the United States. During the 1960s, he participated in the

Chicano Movement The Chicano Movement, also referred to as El Movimiento (Spanish for "the Movement"), was a civil rights movements, social and political movement in the United States that worked to embrace a Chicano, Chicano identity and worldview that combated ...

, advocating for the civil rights of Mexican Americans. He was one of the organizers of the 1968 Chicano Blowouts, a series of youth-led protests inspired by educator

Sal Castro Salvador B. Castro (October 25, 1933 – April 15, 2013) was a Mexican-American educator and activist. He was most well known for his role in the 1968 East Los Angeles high school walkouts, a series of protests against unequal conditions in ...

in which Mexican-Americans demanded equal educational opportunities. His dealings with the press during the walkouts led to his interest in the media. His

2006 2006 was designated as the International Year of Deserts and Desertification. Events January * January 1– 4 – Russia temporarily cuts shipment of natural gas to Ukraine during a price dispute. * January 12 – A stampede during t ...

HBO film ''

Walkout In labor disputes, a walkout is a labor strike, the act of employees collectively leaving the workplace and withholding labor as an act of protest. A walkout can also mean the act of leaving a place of work, school, a meeting, a company, or an ...

'' is based on the events of the protests.

Career

Early years

Esparza's earliest work in film was in service to the Chicano Movement. He filmed a speech given by

Reies Lopez Tijerina Reies López Tijerina (September 21, 1926 – January 19, 2015), was an activist who led a struggle in the 1960s and 1970s to restore New Mexican land grants to the descendants of their Spanish colonial and Mexican owners. As a vocal spokes ...

at UCLA, as well as the 1970

Chicano Moratorium The Chicano Moratorium, formally known as the National Chicano Moratorium Committee Against The Vietnam War, was a movement of Chicano anti-war activists that built a broad-based coalition of Mexican-American groups to organize opposition to the Vi ...

against the

Vietnam War The Vietnam War (1 November 1955 – 30 April 1975) was an armed conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia fought between North Vietnam (Democratic Republic of Vietnam) and South Vietnam (Republic of Vietnam) and their allies. North Vietnam w ...

. The Moratorium footage became his first documentary, ''Requiem 29''. He helped organize Chicano student conferences and the Media Urban Crisis Committee, which analyzed the effects of media on minority communities and recommended that members of those communities attend film school.

Producer

After graduating from UCLA, he worked for the children's television program ''

Sesame Street ''Sesame Street'' is an American educational television, educational children's television series that combines live-action, sketch comedy, animation, and puppetry. It is produced by Sesame Workshop (known as the Children's Television Worksh ...

'', developing bilingual segments. Shortly thereafter, he produced the

television pilot A television pilot (also known as a pilot or a pilot episode and sometimes marketed as a tele-movie) in United Kingdom and United States television, is a standalone episode of a television series that is used to sell a show to a television netwo ...

and the first season of the PBS program '' Villa Alegre'', which won multiple awards. His first commercial production, ''Drunk Drivers Get Carried Away'', received a

Clio Award The Clio Awards, also simply known as The Clios, is an annual award program that recognizes innovation and creative excellence in advertising, design, and communication, as judged by an international panel of advertising professionals. The awar ...

. He was a producer and writer for the documentary unit of

NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of Comcast. It is one of NBCUniversal's ...

in Los Angeles. Following the success of ''Villa Alegre'', Esparza became an independent producer of documentaries. He also filmed a production of the Chicano comedy troupe

Culture Clash Cultural conflict is a type of conflict that occurs when different cultural values and beliefs clash. Broad and narrow definitions exist for the concept, both of which have been used to explain violence (including war) and crime, on either a mi ...

, ''A Bowl of Beings''. His

big break ''Big Break'' is a British game show that aired on BBC1 from 30 April 1991 to 9 October 2002 and was hosted by Jim Davidson with John Virgo as referee. The programme focuses on teams consisting of a contestant and a professional snooker player ...

into

Hollywood cinema The cinema of the United States, primarily associated with major film studios collectively referred to as Hollywood, has significantly influenced the global film industry since the early 20th century. Classical Hollywood cinema, a filmmakin ...

was the feature film ''

The Milagro Beanfield War ''The Milagro Beanfield War'' is a 1988 American comedy-drama film directed by Robert Redford, based on a novel by John Nichols. The movie features an ensemble cast including Ruben Blades, Richard Bradford, Sônia Braga, Julie Carmen, James G ...

'' as a partner at Esparza-Katz Productions, where some of his other production credits include ''

Selena Selena Quintanilla-Pérez (; April 16, 1971 – March 31, 1995) was an American singer-songwriter. Known as the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Queen of Tejano Music", her contributions to music and fashion made her one of the most cel ...

'' and ''

Introducing Dorothy Dandridge ''Introducing Dorothy Dandridge'' is a 1999 American biographical drama television film directed by Martha Coolidge and written by Shonda Rhimes and Scott Abbott, based on the 1991 biography ''Dorothy Dandridge'' by Earl Mills. Filmed over a sp ...

''.

Maya Cinemas

In 2005, Esparza opened the first multiplex in the Maya Cinemas chain, a 14-screen theater in

Salinas, California Salinas (; Spanish language, Spanish for "Salt pan (geology), Salt Flats") is a city in the U.S. state of California and the county seat of Monterey County, California, Monterey County. With a population of 163,542 in the 2020 Census, Salinas is ...

. Since then, he has opened 16 other multiplexes in California, with 26 more scheduled to open in Texas. Maya Cinemas primarily shows first-run Hollywood films, sometimes with subtitles in

Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many countries in the Americas **Spanish cuisine **Spanish history **Spanish culture ...

, but also screens foreign and independent films. The concessions all feature Mayan motifs, hearkening back to the Los Angeles theaters of Esparza's youth. In 2007, Esparza resigned from the board of trustees of the

California State University The California State University (Cal State or CSU) is a Public university, public university system in California, and the List of largest universities and university networks by enrollment, largest public university system in the United States ...

system. After planning to open a Maya Cinemas at the Campus Pointe Project at

California State University, Fresno California State University, Fresno (Fresno State) is a public university in Fresno, California, United States. It is part of the California State University system. The university had a fall 2020 enrollment of 25,341 students. It offers 60 ba ...

, a neighboring landholder who also planned to open a cinema presented a legal challenge, charging that Esparza had a conflict of interest in developing the project while sitting on the board of trustees. Although the university ruled that there was no conflict of interest, Esparza resigned, saying that he was doing so out of "respect for the intent of the government code to avoid even the appearance of conflict of interest."

Awards

Moctezuma has won over 200 honors and awards, including an

Emmy Award The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the year, each with their own set of rules and award categor ...

, a

, an

ALMA Award The American Latino Media Arts Award or ALMA Award, formerly known as Latin Oscars Award, is an award highlighting the best American Latino contributions to music, television, and film. The awards promote fair and accurate portrayals of Latino ...

, and a CINE Golden Eagle Award. Additionally, he has been nominated for an

Academy Award The Academy Awards, commonly known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit in film. They are presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) in the United States in recognition of excellence ...

and a

Golden Globe The Golden Globe Awards are awards presented for excellence in both international film and television. It is an annual award ceremony held since 1944 to honor artists and professionals and their work. The ceremony is normally held every Januar ...

. He received the 1994 Professional Achievement Award from the UCLA Alumni Association. In 2008, Moctesuma was selected as one of the 50 "Most Powerful and Influential Latinos" by The

Imagen Foundation The Imagen Awards are administered by the Imagen Foundation, an organization dedicated to "encouraging and recognizing the positive portrayals of Latinos in the entertainment industry." To be considered for an Imagen Award, a media piece or perso ...

Filmography

*''Taco Shop'' (2012) (executive producer) (filming) *''Mosquita y Mari'' (2011) (executive producer) (filming) *''Without Men'' (2011) (executive producer) *'' Across the Line: The Exodus of Charlie Wright'' (2010) (executive producer) *''Harlem Hostel'' (2010) (executive producer) *''One Hot Summer'' (2009) (made for television) (executive producer) *''Moe'' (2008) (executive producer) *''The Startup'' (2007) (executive producer) *''

'' (2006) (

HBO Home Box Office (HBO) is an American pay television service, which is the flagship property of namesake parent-subsidiary Home Box Office, Inc., itself a unit owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. The overall Home Box Office business unit is based a ...

) *'' Gods and Generals'' (2003) (executive) *''

Price of Glory ''Price of Glory'' is a 2000 American sports drama film directed by Carlos Avila, written by Phil Berger and starring Jimmy Smits. The movie was nominated for several ALMA Awards in 2001. The film was shot in Huntington Park, Los Angeles, and Nogal ...

'' (2000) *''

'' (1999) (executive, made for television) *'' Selma, Lord, Selma'' (1999) (executive, made for television) *''Butter'' (1998) (executive, released on video as ''Never 2 Big'') *''

Rough Riders The Rough Riders was a nickname given to the 1st United States Volunteer Cavalry, one of three such regiments raised in 1898 for the Spanish–American War and the only one to see combat. The United States Army was small, understaffed, and diso ...

'' (1997) (TV) (executive) *''The Disappearance of Garcia Lorca'' (1997) *''

'' (1997) *''The Avenging Angel'' (1995) (made for television) *''The Cisco Kid'' (1994) (TV) (executive) *'' Gettysburg'' (1993) *''The Ambulance'' (1990) *''

'' (1988) *'' The Telephone'' (1988) *''

Radioactive Dreams ''Radioactive Dreams'' is a 1985 post-apocalyptic science fiction-comedy film written and directed by Albert Pyun and starring George Kennedy, Michael Dudikoff, Don Murray, and Lisa Blount. The names of the two main characters are homages ...

'' (1985) *''

The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez ''The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez'' is a 1982 American Western crime film directed by Robert M. Young and starring Edward James Olmos as Gregorio Cortez. It is based on the book ''With His Pistol in His Hand'' by Americo Paredes. In 2022, th ...

'' (1982) (made for television) *'' Agueda Martinez: Our People, Our Country'' (1977) (producer) *''Only Once in a Lifetime'' (1979) *'' Villa Alegre'' (1973) (producer- season 1) *'' Selena: The Series'' (2020) (producer)

Preservation

''Requiem-29'' was preserved and restored by the

UCLA Film & Television Archive The UCLA Film & Television Archive is a visual arts organization focused on the preservation, study, and appreciation of film and television, based at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). As a nonprofit exhibition venue, the archive ...

from 16mm prints. Restoration funding was provided by the

Council on Library and Information Resources The Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR) is an American independent, nonprofit organization. It works with libraries, cultural institutions, and higher learning communities on developing strategies to improve research, teaching, an ...

and the UCLA Film & Television Archive. The restoration had its world premiere at the 2024 UCLA Festival of Preservation.

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Esparza, Moctesuma 1949 births Film producers from Los Angeles American television producers Living people Activists for Hispanic and Latino American civil rights American civil rights activists American film directors of Mexican descent UCLA Film School alumni American chief executives