Taylor Hosking's Documentary 'West Side Familia' Premieres at BlackStar
At the BlackStar Film Festival in Philadelphia, director Taylor Hosking premiered her first documentary, "West Side Familia." In an interview with Elodie Saint-Louis, Hosking discussed the film's focus on a Puerto Rican-led motorcycle gang and activist group from the Upper West Side during the 1970s. The documentary highlights their leader Chino, who symbolically displayed a Puerto Rican flag, and delves into the group's role in the squatters' rights movement and breakdancing culture amid the challenges posed by Urban Renewal. Hosking spent three years on the project, which received funding from the NYC Women's Fund and Latino Public Broadcasting, along with PBS distribution.
Key facts
- Taylor Hosking's documentary 'West Side Familia' premiered at the BlackStar Film Festival in Philadelphia.
- The film chronicles the West Side Familia, a Puerto Rican-led biker gang and activist group from the 1970s.
- Hosking was inspired to make the film after seeing Chino, the group's leader, hang a Puerto Rican flag on a traffic light pole.
- The film covers the squatters' rights movement, breakdancing's rise via the Rock Steady Crew, and Urban Renewal displacement.
- Hosking spent three years making the film, with support from grants and executive producers.
- The film secured a non-exclusive domestic distribution license with PBS.
- Hosking highlighted the history of Puerto Rican activism, including protests at the UN and the Statue of Liberty.
- Hosking hopes the film encourages collective action and the preservation of community legacies.
- Hosking is developing narrative projects, including a pilot about Black girls in a predominantly white school and a sequel to 'Little Manhattan'.
- The film features interviews with graffiti artist George 'SEN-1' Morillo and archival footage.
Entities
Artists
- Taylor Hosking
- Chino
- George 'SEN-1' Morillo
- Frosty Freeze (Wayne Frost)
- Tito Puente
- Elodie Saint-Louis
Institutions
- BlackStar Film Festival
- West Side Familia
- Rock Steady Crew
- Young Lords
- Black Panthers
- NYC Women's Fund
- Latino Public Broadcasting
- PBS
- American POV
- The Gotham Project Market
- Tribeca Film Festival
- Sundance Film Festival
- SXSW
- HBO
- Ballet Hispanico
- VICE
- UPenn
Locations
- Philadelphia
- United States
- Manhattan
- Upper West Side
- Upper East Side
- Central Park
- Lincoln Center
- Meatpacking District
- New York City
- New York
- Puerto Rico