Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Dad Has a Doc Coming to HBO

We’ve made no secret that we’re in desperate need of Latinx representation in Hollywood

February 04, 2020 - 10:54

We’ve made no secret that we’re in desperate need of Latinx representation in Hollywood. Thankfully, HBO is getting the message. The cable network just bought a documentary at the Sundance Film Festival that features the life and career of Luis Miranda — Lin-Manuel Miranda’s dad. Deadline reports that HBO bought the film titled Siempre, Luis, in a “mid-seven-figure deal for worldwide TV and streaming rights.”

We’re thrilled to be getting this documentary on Luis because, while we know a lot about Lin-Manuel, we don’t know that much about his dad. Ever since Lin-Manuel made a splash with his Broadway show Hamilton, his dad has remained in the background. But before Lin’s stardom, his dad has a legacy of his own. Here’s a statement by HBO about the film:

First-time filmmaker, John James’ film, is an inspiring portrait of Luis A. Miranda Jr., a Puerto Rican migrant who helped shape New York politics for over three decades.

When Luis A. Miranda Jr. left Puerto Rico for New York City in the 1970s, he had big dreams, but little did he know how far he’d go. Over the course of a year, Luis Miranda’s devotion to family and country propel him forward. Following the devastation of Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico, he helps plan relief efforts and manages the logistics behind bringing his son Lin-Manuel Miranda’s award-winning production of Hamilton to the island. With humor and heart, SIEMPRE, LUIS tells the story of a proud American.

A review of the film featured in The Hollywood Reporter states that audiences will get to see Luis’s hard work as an advocate for Latinos. Some of the dilemmas in the movie is when Luis endures challenges while balancing his work in New York and Puerto Rico. The publication goes on to say this film “will be most valuable to those hungry for narratives of Puerto Ricans who have made lives for themselves on the mainland without forgetting where they came from.”

Go @Lin_Manuel go! https://t.co/d6wR5Ti3Cs

— Luis A. Miranda, Jr. (@Vegalteno) January 26, 2020

That statement is 100 percent accurate. We’re thrilled that this film will be seen on HBO, and we wish the network and others realize how important it is to show stories about Latinos that are told authentically. The film’s director explains why he chose to do a documentary on Luis.

“My first film started as the story of a tireless migrant who built an extraordinary legacy,” James told Deadline. “Yet, as I followed Luis Miranda over a lengthy period of time, I couldn’t have imagined that he would see his native Puerto Rico face catastrophic crisis just as our mainland is thrown into bitter political upheaval. We’re excited to find a passionate partner in HBO to share this inspiring story.”