Chrstina Giddens Garcia

The Unsung Heroes of Hollywood

The distinguished American novelist William Faulkner once said of Los Angeles, “Everything in L.A. is too large, too loud and usually banal in concept…The plastic asshole of the world.” Are these harsh words spoken from the high-art literary giant the agonizing truth? Perhaps, yet as for someone who currently lives in L.A., I am still figuring that out for myself, forever staring into its captivating scenery as if it were a permanent Rorschach test. Some days, the ecotone of nature married with a proper city feels nothing short of paradise, especially for a cinephile and nature enthusiast like myself. Yet, the ghosts of Hollywood’s past and the ineffable lore of the city’s storied political and social history often evokes an ominous trepidation I can never fully put my finger on. Despite its astronomical cost of living and overall precariousness, I, like a moth to a flame headed out west into the illustrious and expansive territory. The movies on my list all revolve around the people who come to Los Angeles not to be seen, but instead to heard by means of their craft. The initial facilitators and often overlooked agents of film, I'm excited to be alive and witness an era of deep cultural change for writers that include more women, and voices from all around the world.