In honor of his excellence in filmmaking, his work to give voice to the Latino American dream and his efforts to create positive change through the arts, writer/director Chris Weitz will receive the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute’s Excellence in Service Award. Chris Weitz most recently directed “A Better Life,” a multi-generational immigrant story about a father’s love and everything a parent will sacrifice to build a better life for his child, which Summit Entertainment released on June 24, 2011.
Weitz is better known for his comedic films like American Pie and his film adaptations like The Golden Compass and New Moon. However, his most recent project and the one for which he is being honored has personal relevance for the writer/director.
Weitz is the grandson of Mexican acting legend Lupita Tovar who did the first talking movie in the country in the ‘30s. A Better Life highlights the plight of an undocumented Mexican gardener working in the U.S. and the sacrifices he makes for his son and is presented with an entire Hispanic acting cast.
