UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- A film and television director has been selected as the featured guest for Hispanic Heritage Month activities coordinated by the College of Communications Office of Multicultural Affairs in early October.
Ricardo Mendez Matta will present a free public lecture titled “Forging a Career in Hollywood: A Latino’s Story of Survival and Success” at 6 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 2, in Carnegie Cinema.
Matta made his feature-film directing debut in 2006 with “Thieves and Liars.” He served the Directors Guild of America for several years as co-chair of the Latino Committee and twice as chair of the board of trustees of the Assistant Directors Training Program.
“Thieves and Liars,” which he co-wrote, produced and directed with his wife, artist Poli Marichal, was the official Puerto Rican entry to the 2007 Academy Awards. It won a Best Director prize at the Phoenix Film Festival and was picked up by HBO Latino.
Matta has directed two episodes of the CW series “Hart of Dixie,” and he served as first assistant director on the ABC miniseries “The Astronaut Wives Club,” as well as the Showtime series “Homeland.”
A native of Puerto Rico, he moved to Los Angeles to attend the University of Southern California.