Ruth Copland interviews the legendary performer Rita Moreno – one of only 12 people who have received an Oscar, Grammy, Tony, and Emmy award. Rita Moreno received the Oscar for West Side Story and is still going strong at 84, starring in a new comedy Remember Me, which had its world premiere at Cinequest 2016. During the conversation, Rita discusses how she overcame difficult challenges, both personally and professionally, to finally come to a place where she feels she can truly be herself and be happy. The conversation is insightful, moving, and often hilarious – especially when there is a wardrobe malfunction!
Ruth Copland was invited to interview 2016 Maverick Spirit Award recipient Rita Moreno by Cinequest co-founders Kathleen Powell and Halfdan Hussey. The conversation took place live on stage at the historic California Theatre, San Jose, California, in front of a packed audience after Rita Moreno received the Maverick Spirit Award during the film festival. Co-founder Kathleen Powell is a former guest of It’s A Question Of Balance Radio Show ®.
The Maverick Spirit Award is Cinequest’s most prestigious accolade, recognizing those who stand apart from the crowd, willing to create and innovate from a place of personal yet global vision. The Maverick leads, tries the difficult if not impossible, and delivers original work and an original life. Women and men of passion, Mavericks take risks and are willing to fall or fail on the road to eventual success and creation. This spirit sums up the best of the worlds of cinema and the Silicon Valley. This year, Cinequest Film Festival presented its Maverick Spirit Award to James Franco, Rita Moreno, and Robert Hawk – Mavericks whose work and lives speak strongly to the Cinequest legacy of empowerment through the fusion of innovation and creativity.
The event was filmed and produced by South Bay Pulse a San Jose State University School of Journalism and Mass Communication publication.
Executive Producer: Neal Waters
Producer: Jennifer Gonzalez
Audio Technician: Aaron Lan
Camera Operators: Francisco Alvarado, George Tanner, Quinn Dang
Production Assistant: Frank Facio
Advisor: Thomas Ulrich
Mitchell Weinstock Photography ©
It’s A Question Of Balance ® radio show balances the intellectual with the creative, exploring whether we have more in common than divides us through thought-provoking conversations – out and about with people on the street on different topics, and in the studio with inspiring guests from the arts. Balance is not a compromise. Balance is truth distilled from many places creating cohesive understanding.
“It’s A Question of Balance ® so rare among radio talk shows, lets its subjects breathe. With her discursive style and pleasingly eccentric range of curiosity, host Ruth Copland each week treats her listeners to two hours of Whole Brain Radio.”
Hampton Sides – Internationally bestselling author, award-winning journalist, and historian
