‘Selena’ Is Now in the National Film Registry and We’re Celebrating by Remembering Our Favorite Moments From the Movie
Photo Courtesy Warner Bros.
“Selena” — the 1997 film that told the story of Selena Quintanilla, is being inducted into the National Film Registry of the Library of Congress.
And it’s no accident. The Library of Congress inducted a record amount of movies that showcase diverse stories in 2021, citing their desire to celebrate “stories from the nation’s diverse communities that often carry universal themes.”
“Selena’s life, music and the film became touchstones in Latin American culture, and her infectious appeal crossed over to audiences of all kinds,” said the Library of Congress in a statement about the movie.
The movie was nominated for consideration by Texas Congressman Joaquin Castro, who has long decried the lack of Latino representation in film. When he nominated the film in January, he stated that Hollywood “denied us the opportunity to tell our own stories for too long.”
Of the news, Rep. Castro tweeted: “For too long Latino and Latina filmmakers’ contribution to the industry have been overlooked and underrepresented. Glad to see Gregory Nava’s biopic preserved in American history.”
In celebration of “Selena” being recognized by the Library of Congress for the masterpiece that it is, we thought this would be the perfect time to re-visit our favorite scenes from the iconic 1997 movie.
The shopping mall scene.
There was nothing more satisfying than watching Selena rub the snobby saleswoman’s nose in her fame after the woman wouldn’t help her at the store. It perfectly illustrated the everyday prejudice that Selena faced as a Mexican-American woman in Texas.
Eloping with Chris.
We love a determined queen. One of our favorite scenes is when Selena defies her father’s orders and elopes with Chris at the Nueces County Courthouse. We can’t resist a classic story of young love.
When Selena debuts her signature bustier.
As Selena’s career progressed, she became synonymous with her signature look of bedazzled bustiers with high-waisted pants. We love the comedic scene of her father reacting to seeing her in her stage outfit for the first time. “Busti-quela? It’s a bra! Look at it!” Timeless.
When Selena speaks Spanish at a press conference.
Who doesn’t love this scene? This iconic line represents how so many first and second-generation Latinos speak Spanish. And speaking Spanglish didn’t make Selena any less Latina!
When she calms the rowdy crowd down with her magical singing skills.
Enough said.
Abraham’s speech about the woes of being Mexican-American.
Abraham’s rant about the difficulty of being Mexican-American is arguably the thesis statement of “Selena.” Throughout the movie, Selena struggles to create an identity for herself as a young American woman who makes music for a Latino audience. Just like so many other Latinos in the U.S., Selena’s identity straddles two cultures.
“Anything for Selenas.”
You didn’t think we would leave it out, did you? We can’t celebrate the best moments of “Selena” without bringing up one of the most iconic lines in the history of American cinema: “Anything for Selenas.”
