(S. B. 1218) (No. 195-2014) (Approved November 27, 2014) AN ACT To institute an award to be named the JACOBO MORALES MEDAL OF ARTS, in order to recognize those men and women who, through their excellence in the fields of arts, especially in cinematography, radio, television, theater, acting, playwright, and/or creative writing, have honored and distinguished us as a people. STATEMENT OF MOTIVES As a people, we have been fortunate to have throughout our history men and women who have excelled in the field of arts. However, when we think of a fullblooded Puerto Rican, outstanding for his excellence as an actor, filmmaker, playwright, and poet, we acknowledge Don Jacobo Morales-Ramírez. Don Jacobo Morales, an illustrious Puerto Rican, was born on November 12, 1934, in Lajas, Puerto Rico. He started his career as an actor in radio and in the theater at the age of 14. In 1954, when Puerto Rican television started, he turned to drama, satire, and comedy. He has had an active participation in this media, excelling in the following programs: Desafiando a los Genios, Esto no tiene Nombre, Ahí va eso, La Tiendita de la Esquina, Todo el Año es Navidad, and Los Rayos Gammas, which he co-founded and is considered to be the satirical group with the greatest number of performances at the Luis A. Ferré Fine Arts Center. For nineteen (19) years, the Puerto Rico Corporation for Public Broadcast transmitted the television show Jacobo y el Arte, which was granted the Renacer award.
2 He has played the lead role in more than forty theatrical productions. His performance in El Tragaluz made him deserving of the Premio Nacional de Actuación. In 2008, he had an outstanding participation in the play La Historia del Zoológico, with Miguel Ángel Suarez. As an actor, he has played important roles with Woody Allen in Bananas (1972); Up the Sandbox (1974), where he worked with Barbra Streisand; and Effects of Magic (1996) with Melinda Dillion and Robert Carradine. As a playwright, he has written eight dramas, six of which he has directed and played the lead role: Muchas Gracias por las Flores (1973); Cinco Sueños en Blanco y Negro (1975); Aquella, la otra, éste y aquel (1978); Una Campana en la Niebla (1980); Teté quiere Volver (1992); Dos (2000); and Baipás, which premiered on April 27, 2012. His most recent theatrical work, Al Final del Eclipse, was selected in 2013 for the inauguration of the 55 th Puerto Rican Theater Festival, which was dedicated to Don Jacobo Morales and his beloved wife, Doña Blanca Eró. This piece is considered a dramatic comedy, which has homosexuality and all prejudices and intolerances of society, as well as the dignity and worth of human beings as its central theme. In national films, he has played the leading role in the following movies: Cuentos de Abelardo (1990) by Luis Molina; A San Juan Story (1990) by Noel Quiñones; Angelito Mío (1998) by Enrique Pineda-Barnet; and Broche de Oro (2012) by Raúl Marchand. He has also performed in short films and movies such as: La Mecedora (2007) by Ana María García; I m a Director (2012) by Javier Colón, and Medio Minuto (2012) by David Norris. In the documentary Julia toda en mi (2003) by Ivone Belén, he played a prominent role.
3 His first three dramas were published. The poetic works of this versatile writer began when he heard the poem El Valle de Collores, by Luis Lloréns-Torres, which due to its simple style was easy to identify with, and which lead him to understand that poetry was an art through which he could express himself. The central theme of his poems is the satiric and costumbrist social commentary, wherein the daily lives of the people are described. His poetry collection is found in his books 100 x 35 (1975) and 409 metros de solar y cyclone fence (1978). Don Jacobo Morales is considered a creative genius, who in the 80s brought new hopes to the national film industry by refocusing it towards themes, stories, characters, and the idiosyncrasy of the Puerto Rican people. In 1980, Dios los Cría, his first film as a filmmaker, received several international awards and recognitions. It received a critique from the New York Times, praises from Hanet Maslin, and most importantly, it was part of the official program of the Cannes Film Festival in 1981. It was selected as one of the twenty-five most significant films of Latin America, a fact proven by its selection by the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences in 2009 to be remastered and preserved for its contribution to the film industry. Nicolás y los demás followed, a film he directed and played the lead role for which he won the best actor award in the Cartagena de Indias Festival in Colombia in 1986. He continued his successful trajectory with the film Lo que le pasó a Santiago, which placed Puerto Rico at the top of world cinematography. In 1990 it was nominated to the Oscar as best foreign film. Morales words are a reflection of his work: Talent is not enough, determination is fundamental. Linda Sara, one of the greatest box office hits of the national film industry, premiered in 1995. This film received several awards: in 1995, the Miglior Contributo Artístico of the Latin American Film Festival of Trieste, Italy; in 1995, Premio al Público, at the Mar de Plata Festival in Argentina; in 1996, awards for Best Screenplay and Best Musical Score at the Latin American Film Festival in
4 New York. In 2002, the screenplay for Linda Sara was published, together with the diary Don Jacobo Morales kept during the preproduction and filming stages. The foregoing were followed by the short film Jugando en Serio (2005), the feature film Dios los Cría 2 (2004), the short film Pa eso estamos (2005), and the feature film Ángel (2007). It is with the short film Jugando en Serio that he participated with other Latin American directors in the feature film Enredando Sombras, produced by the Amaranta Company of Gabriel García-Márquez, to celebrate one hundred years of the Latin American movie industry. Don Jacobo Morales, a creative man of great cultural commitment has been granted various recognitions, activities, and medals. In 1986, he received a Honoris Causa Doctorate in Humanities from the E.D.P. College. He also received in 1990 a Honoris Causa Doctorate in Arts, granted by the Universidad del Turabo. In 1998, the United States Library of Congress held the National Film Registry Tour in Puerto Rico and dedicated the same to him in recognition of his achievements in films. In 2004, Morales and his wife received a Honoris Causa Doctorate in Arts from the Sagrado Corazón University. That same year, the Club Cívico de Damas de Puerto Rico awarded him the Archibald Hopkins Medal, and in 2009, the Abelardo Díaz Alfaro Award. The National Academy of Television, Arts, and Sciences granted him the Silver Circle Award in 2006. The Décima Feria Internacional del Libro de Puerto Rico granted him the Gran Premio Nacional in 2007, in recognition of his contribution to the enrichment and diffusion of Puerto Rican culture. In 2008, three film festivals were dedicated to him: the Fourth Edition of the Ola Fest held in Orlando, Florida; the Twenty-fourth Edition of the Chicago Latino Film Festival, where he was conferred the Gloria Career Achievement Award, and the Capalbioart La Parguera, which was held simultaneously in the Italian city of Capalbio, Italy, and in Lajas, Puerto Rico. In 2009, the New York International Festival paid tribute to our filmmaker at the
5 Lincoln Center, where a retrospective of some of his films were projected. During the Eighth Edition of the Cinefiesta 2010, the Amilcar Tirado Medal and the Unesco Cup were presented to him in celebration of the twenty years of the nomination of Lo que le pasó a Santiago to the Oscar. He gave a lecture to the students of Harvard University where he also he presented his film Dios los Cría in 2011. He was granted the La Hamaca award in 2011 by the Puerto Rican Veterans Monument Square Association, Inc. At present, Don Jacobo Morales is still active in the field of journalism and in the development of movie and theater pieces, in addition to offering workshops and conferences in and outside of Puerto Rico. He will also be presenting several film screenplays such as Elisa, Gabriel, Ana y el Gato; Dios los Cría 3; Celebremos todos juntos; and El Hombre del Año. He is also working on several short films: On & Off, Pla, pla, pla, and Algo como un poema. New generations need role models for them to emulate, and the Nation, in the midst of its economic recovery, must integrate culture to the new reality we face. Therefore, this Legislative Assembly deems it meritorious to institute the award to be called the JACOBO MORALES MEDAL OF ARTS, to honor the maestro and illustrious Puerto Rican, Don Jacobo Morales, for his outstanding contribution to radio, television, film, theater, poetry, and education, and for his profound love for his Island, always defending its patriotic values, just causes, and freedom. By establishing this Medal, we honor the artistic commitment and cultural contribution of Don Jacobo Morales, an inspiration for all Puerto Ricans. May his art be always an example for artists and men and women of letters who are flourishing in our Island, and may they always perform their works bearing in mind the words of Don Jacobo Morales:
6 One should not write to please anyone, but rather to express what you truly wish to express, be true to yourself, and write with a good intention. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF PUERTO RICO: Section 1. The award to be named the JACOBO MORALES MEDAL OF ARTS is hereby instituted in order to recognize those men and women who, through their excellence in the fields of arts, especially in cinematography, radio, television, theater, acting, playwright, and/or creative writing, have honored and distinguished us as a people. Section 2. The JACOBO MORALES MEDAL OF ARTS award herein established shall be granted by the Governor of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico in the month of November of each year. Section 3. The award shall be selected and designed by the Secretary of the Department of State and the taskforce that he determines, including the participation of the Executive Director of the Institute of Puerto Rican Culture and the Executive Director of the Film Industry Development Program of the Department of Economic Development and Commerce to establish the criteria and parameters for the adjudication thereof and the promulgation of regulations to enforce the provisions of this Act. Section 4. The Office of Management and Budget shall appropriate a special item to the Budget of the Department of State for the expenses entailed for compliance with this Act. Section 5. This Act shall take effect immediately after its approval.
7 CERTIFICATION I hereby certify to the Secretary of State that the following Act No. 195-2014 (S. B. 1218) of the 4 th Regular Session of the 17 th Legislative Assembly of Puerto Rico: AN ACT to institute an award to be named the JACOBO MORALES MEDAL OF ARTS, in order to recognize those men and women who, through their excellence in the fields of arts, especially in cinematography, radio, television, theater, acting, playwright, and/or creative writing, have honored and distinguished us as a people. has been translated from Spanish to English and that the English version is correct. In San Juan, Puerto Rico, on this 24 th day of May, 2018. Orlando Pagán-Ramírez Director