LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Candle Media’s Exile Content Studio, in collaboration with Trojan Horse Media and iHeartMedia’s My Cultura, a podcast network dedicated to elevating Latinx voices and stories, today announced a new podcast series “More Than a Movie: American Me.” The 12-episode audio-documentary will launch its first two episodes this Thursday, Sept. 15 in anticipation of Hispanic Heritage Month. Hosted by Emmy®-nominated producer and writer Alex Fumero (HBO Max’s “Menudo: Forever Young”) and produced by journalist Nigel Duara, the series delves into the true story of Edward James Olmos’ 1992 cult film classic, “American Me,” and the legacy the controversial film left behind. The series will be available on the iHeartRadio app and everywhere podcasts are heard.
When Edward James Olmos set out on his directorial debut of “American Me,” he wanted to accomplish two things: to represent Chicano culture on the big screen and to save part of his community from gang violence. But when people were allegedly murdered because of their participation in the film, and Olmos himself was reportedly extorted by the real Mexican Mafia, it brought to light the unintended risks of trying to expose corruption.
Daniel Batista, Exile's Chief Digital Officer, said, “‘American Me’ and its director, Edward James Olmos, both hold prominent places in Latino film history for the film’s powerful portrayal of Latinos facing the realities of gang life in the late 20th century. But perhaps more historically significant than the film itself is the bigger story surrounding the film, which this podcast series explores in detail with people close to the story.”
The podcast’s host, Fumero, is a celebrated producer and creator whose most recent project, “Menudo: Forever Young” for HBO Max, premiered earlier this year at the Tribeca Film Festival. His other projects include “Mucho Mucho Amor” (Netflix) – an Official Selection of the 2020 Sundance Film Festival – and the critically acclaimed sketch show, “I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson” (Netflix/Irony Point). Fumero also produces the podcast through his Trojan Horse Media banner, along with executive producer, Kareem Tabsch.
Added Fumero, “When I first heard the rumors about ‘American Me’ it all sounded so wild, I had to try to separate fact from fiction. But beyond that, Edward James Olmos is an artist and activist I deeply respect, so I wanted to understand how this could’ve happened, if it did. I really believe that even those who have never seen the cult classic ‘American Me’ film, or aren’t familiar with Olmos, will find this podcast both fascinating and addicting.”
There are a total of 12 episodes in the series, with Episode 1:“American Me: The Backstory” and Episode 2: “Edward James Olmos (Santana)” set to premiere on Sept. 15. New episodes of “More Than a Movie: American Me” will be posted every Thursday.
“This podcast gives a behind-the-scenes look at a film that paved the way for Latino cinema, while also diving into the controversial topics of prison and gang life. It’s important to highlight our stories, our movies and give Latino creators a platform to speak on it,” said Gisselle Bances, SVP, Head of Production and Development for iHeartMedia’s My Cultura.
“More Than a Movie: American Me” is distributed by iHeartPodcasts. To stay up to date with Exile’s upcoming projects, follow along at @ExileContent. For updates from Trojan Horse, follow @TrojanHorseMedia on Instagram.
About Exile Content Studio
Exile Content Studio creates content in Spanish and English for a global audience across multiple platforms — TV, Film, Audio and Digital. Exile’s team has led content production for the largest Spanish-language media companies in the world with responsibility for film studios, OTT service, broadcast and cable networks, music, news and digital. The company’s current slate includes award-winning talent across genres and formats. To stay up to date on Exile’s projects, follow @ExileContent on Twitter and Instagram.
About Candle Media
Candle is an independent, creator-friendly home for cutting-edge, high-quality, category-defining brands and franchises built for the digital age. By bringing together elite talent operating at the intersection of content, community, and commerce, it helps position leading entertainment businesses for accelerated, sustainable growth in the current market and beyond. Candle was founded by its Co-Chairmen and Co-CEOs, leading entertainment executives Kevin Mayer and Tom Staggs, and backed by investment capital from funds managed by Blackstone’s flagship private equity business.
About Trojan Horse Media
Trojan Horse is a partnership between director Kareem Tabsch and producer Alex Fumero to tell larger-than-life, stranger-than-fiction stories that carry a deeper meaning below the surface. Tabsch & Fumero first collaborated on Netflix’s Mucho Mucho Amor: The Legend of Walter Mercado. Subsequently through their Trojan Horse banner, the duo have produced HBOMax’s Menudo: Forever Young, the iHeartMedia podcasts Crumbs and Paradise Lost: Crime in Miami, and are producing the upcoming Onyx Collective’s Gigante, about the iconic Latino TV program, ‘Sabado Gigante’ and the birth of Latino identity in America.
About iHeartMedia
iHeartMedia, Inc. [Nasdaq: IHRT] is the leading audio media company in America, reaching over 90% of Americans every month. iHeart’s broadcast radio assets alone have more consumer reach in the U.S. than any other media outlet; twice the reach of the next largest broadcast radio company; and over four times the ad-enabled reach of the largest digital only audio service. iHeart is the largest podcast publisher according to Podtrac, with more downloads than the next four podcast publishers combined and has the number one social footprint among audio players, with seven times more followers than the next audio media brand, and the only fully integrated audio ad tech solution across broadcast, streaming and podcasts. The company continues to leverage its strong audience connection and unparalleled consumer reach to build new platforms, products and services. Visit iHeartMedia.com for more company information.
