- Twelve Commendations were presented to Orestes Matacena in recognition of his heroic act of bravery and courage on March 12, 1992, with total disregard for his own life safety, who gave chase to a burglary suspect, overcoming the suspect efforts to escape, and held him for officers. The Commendations were given by: Congress of the United States House of Representatives, Washington, D.C. Anthony C Beelines, Member of Congress Congress of the Unite States House of Representatives, Washington, D.C. Howard L. Berman, Member of Congress California State Senate Ed Davis, Senator, 19th Senatorial District California State Senate David Robati, Senator, 20th Senate District City Of Los Angeles Tom Bradley, Mayor City Of Los Angeles, John Ferraro, President of Los Angeles City Council Joel Wachs, Councilman of 2nd District Ernani Bernardi, Councilman 7th District Joy Picus, Councilwoman 3rd District Marvin Braude, Councilman 11th District Zev Yaroslavsky, Council 5th District Hall Bernson, Councilman 12th District Office of City Attorney James K. Hahn, Los Angeles City Attorney Los Angeles Police Department Willie L. Williams, Chief of Police California Legislative Assembly Cathy Wright, Member of the Assembly, 37th Assembly District California Legislative Assembly Paula L. Baland, Member of the Assembly, 38th Assembly District California Legislative Assembly Richard Katz, Member of the Assembly, 39th Assembly District California Legislative Assembly Terry B. Friedman, Member of the Assembly, 43th Assembly District Community of Los Angeles, Mid Valley Community Police Council Edmund D. Edelman, Supervisor, Third District Michael D. Antonovich, Supervisor, Fifth District.
- Twelve Commendations were presented by various members of government and law enforcement in the State of California to Orestes Matacena in recognition of his heroic act of bravery and courage on March 12, 1992, with total disregard for his own life safety, who gave chase to a burglary suspect, overcoming the suspect's efforts to escape, and held him for officers.
- While living in Cuba during his teen years, he had 12 dogs and 21 cats, all at the same time. None of them were allowed in the house.
- When directing Sexgunsmoney@20 (2002) he lost 12 pounds in 18 days and he lost 14 pounds in 18 days when directing "In Plain View (2008)".
- After reading the part of Niko for the second time, with "The Mask," director Charles "Chuck" Russell, Orestes Matacena left the director's Hollywood Hill's home cursing and banging the wheel of his car while driving home thinking Chuck didn't like his reading. His manager Hillard Elkins was calling on the phone when Orestes entered his home and gave him the good news that the part was his.
- Orestes Matacena was married to actress and commercial producer Clara Hernandez from May 3, 1975 to 1982.
- Orestes Matacena has been romantically linked with producer-actress, Orna Rachovitsky, since February 8, 1999. They are also business partners and have lived together since that time.
- Orna Rachovitsky's father, Elisha, and Orestes Matacena's father, Raffaele, were born on September 9, different years. Both fathers have passed away. Orna's father was born in Tel Aviv, Israel and Orestes's father in Naples, Italy.
- Clara Hernandez and Orestes have a son, Lawrence Rafael Matacena.
- At the age of six, Orestes Matacena first explored acting in a film "The Life of Billy the Kid," with a cast comprised only of children, shot at the Mercedes Sugar Mill in Matanzas, Cuba, where he was raised.
- As a teenager Orestes Matacena was part of the resistance fighting to overthrow the Cuban tyrant Fidel Castro in order to establish freedom and Democracy on the island.
- In 1976, Orestes Matacena went to the immigration office in New York City. A crowd of about 300 were looking into the lobby because John Lennon was inside the building. Orestes and a couple laughed and chatted while waiting for the elevator. After Orestes finished his business the crowd was now facing the street and, to his surprise, the couple that he chatted with an hour before were Yoko Ono and John Lennon getting inside a limousine.
- Four days before Orestes Matacena started shooting "In Plain View" his cinematographer called him with very unfortunate news: his wife had to undergo brain surgery immediately. This was a terrible situation from all perspectives. Orestes called another cinematographer friend of his, Claudio Chea, and told him the situation. Claudio was in the middle of the color correction of a movie he shot for director Leon Ichaso,"El Cantante," starring Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony and asked Orestes to postpone the shoot for three weeks until he could finish the color correction for the JLo movie. He said he would be more than happy to do it and that he always wanted to work with Orestes. Orestes told Claudio that he was starting in four days. Of course, everyone asked Orestes to postpone the shoot including his partner, producer-actress, Orna Rachovitsky, and his friend-actor, Ruben Rabasa. Orestes told them that there was no postponement and that he would start shooting in four days. He did. "In Plain View" was Spanish Cinematographer Mikel Saenz's first feature.
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