Film Reviews and Streaming
Content
Latin American Perspectives is a theoretical and scholarly journal for discussion and debate on the political economy of capitalism and socialism in the Americas. Films and videos suitable for review in LAP are those that contribute to ongoing discussions and debates about transformations of Latin American socio-economic, political and cultural realities. (See LAP Mission Statement ) Films may be any genre – documentary, drama or comedy feature, experimental, etc. – and a review may discuss a single or several related films, for example on a common theme such as immigration or the environment or sharing an approach such as biography or use of archival material.
The objective of the journal is to encourage class analysis of socio-cultural realities and political strategies to transform Latin American sociopolitical structures. We make a conscious effort to publish a diversity of political viewpoints, both Marxist and non-Marxist perspectives that have influenced progressive debates in Latin America. We believe film and video contribute to ongoing discussions and debates about such transformations. Top priority will be given to films that address significant issues that have received inadequate discussion or visual representation in the media or that are in sharp dispute. We encourage reviews of the work of established as well as upcoming Latin American filmmakers and/or independent filmmakers whose work is focused on Latin America. We prioritize films with social and artistic merit that have not received U.S. commercial theatrical distribution and are less likely to be known to U.S. audiences. Whenever possible we will attempt to match film reviews to LAP thematic issue topics. Reviews should address both film form and content but should be written to be comprehensible to a wide audience. All film reviews should be original work, which has not been published in English and is not under consideration for publication in the same or similar form in another publication. As a rule, we limit reviews to work released in the last three years. However, we might also publish dossiers on particular filmmakers, film movements, and film collectives, from time to time, in which case earlier films may be reviewed.
Length and Format
Reviews should run approximately 1,000 words for a single film or 2000 words for reviews of two or three films using paginated double-spaced 12-point text with 1 inch margins, including notes and references. Manuscripts may be submitted in English, Spanish, or Portuguese. If you do not write in English with near native fluency, please submit in your first language. LAP will translate manuscripts accepted in another language. Please follow the LAP style guidelines included in the Manuscript Preparation section of the Submissions tab.
We encourage illustrating reviews with a maximum of four stills submitted as separate attachments. See the Artwork Submission Guidelines for technical standards. Reviewers are responsible for securing the rights to film stills from directors or production companies. LAP film review editors will work with authors to select appropriate images for the reviews.
Submitting Proposals
Before submitting a full review, please send a short proposal to the LAP film review editors: Kristi M. Wilson (kwilson@soka.edu) and Tomás Crowder-Taraborrelli (tcrowdertaraborrelli@soka.edu) with a copy to the LAP office: laps@ucr.edu
Submitting Manuscripts
Submission of a manuscript implies commitment to publish in the journal, if accepted by LAP. Please feel free to contact the film review editors with questions pertaining to a proposed review but submit completed manuscripts directly to the LAP office as a Word document by e-mail to: laps@ucr.edu with the subject line – “Your name – film review [film title]”. You should receive an official acknowledgement from LAP within a week. If your manuscript is not acknowledged, please contact the LAP office to be sure your submission arrived. In addition to electronic submission by e-mail, authors living in the U.S. should submit two print copies including a cover sheet and basic biographical and contact information to:
Managing Editor, Latin American Perspectives¸ P.O. Box 5703, Riverside, California 92517-5703.
Manuscript Review and Decisions
Submission of a manuscript implies commitment to publish in the journal. The LAP Editorial Collective will review film review manuscripts. We attempt to make a manuscript decision within 6-8 weeks of the submission date whenever possible and within 3-4 months in most other cases. However, due to the professional obligations of our editors, as well as submission volume, occasional delays may occur in the review process especially during the summer (June-Sept.) break. The LAP office does everything it can to expedite the review and decision process.
Film-Related Book Reviews
Except in special cases, all reviews should take the form of review essays that critically discuss the major themes dealt with in two or more books that focus on the same or related subject(s). In general, reviews should focus on significant works that make an important contribution to the existing literature about film. Reviews should be written for a broad readership. Book review specifications are provided in the Book Review section under the Submissions tab.
Please write concisely. Do not waste valuable text space describing each of the various essays in a collection of essays. The review should focus on the more important themes raised in the collection and discuss both the main contributions and the main shortcomings of the collection. It is vital to emphasize theoretical content of the books under review and to draw out the theoretical significance and contribution of the books. Please mention and cite the most relevant works in the literature to which the books under review belong. This helps to put the books under review in context and provides the reader with some bibliographic points of reference.
LAP Coordinating Editor, Kristi Wilson, is currently managing film Book Reviews. We suggest submitting a proposal before submitting a review essay. Prospective contributors should feel free to communicate with Kristi at the following email address: kwilson@soka.edu. You may also submit your proposal to the LAP office: laps@ucr.edu
Submit book review manuscripts as Word documents to the LAP office at mailto:laps@ucr.edu
Authors in the U.S. should also mail two hard copies to: Book Review Editor, Latin American Perspectives¸ P.O. Box 5703, Riverside, California 92517-5703
Film StreamingIn January 2012, LAP began streaming fiction and documentary films about Latin America on its website. We are interested in films or videos, regardless of genre, that deal with transformations of Latin American socio-economic, political and cultural realities from a progressive perspective, particularly those from independent producers in Latin America. Streamed films will reach approximately 7000 subscribers in the Middle East, Asia, Africa and Australia. These are principally educational institutions through which many thousands of students have access.
Filmmakers and/or producers interested in streaming work on the LAP website or in learning more about streaming terms and agreements should send a query email to the LAP office and to the Film Review Editors: Kristi M. Wilson (kwilson@soka.edu) and Tomás Crowder-Taraborrelli (tcrowdertaraborrelli@soka.edu).
