What to know about San Antonio's Latino film festival
Why it matters: The festival spotlights the city's Latino heritage and culture for an international audience.
This year, it takes place as San Antonio seeks to grow its reputation as a film destination with expanded state incentives.
How it works: The festival features screenings at the Carver Community Cultural Center on the East Side, Santikos Mayan Palace on the South Side, and SAY Sí on the West Side. It's presented by the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center.
Zoom in: Major highlights this year include showings of:
" Selena y Los Dinos," a documentary featuring never-before-seen footage from the Quintanilla family archives, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival this year. Screenings are at 5pm Saturday and 12:30pm Sunday at the Jo Long Theatre.
" Take it Away," which traces the rise of Tejano and regional Mexican music to Johnny Canales, who was known for jumpstarting the careers of Tejano musicians like Selena through his variety-style TV show. Canales died last year. Showing at 5pm Sunday at the Jo Long Theatre.
What they're saying:"The two great documentaries about Tejano music set the tone to a program that proudly represents the diverse tapestry that American culture and society are fortunate to be," CineFestival director Eugenio del Bosque said in a statement.
"Family, immigration, citizenship and civil rights are also strongly represented in the program."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Los Angeles Times
2 hours ago
- Los Angeles Times
A rare live reading of ‘Superbad' will raise funds for immigrant defense
On Aug. 24, 'Superbad' fans can experience a rare live reading of the cult comedy, reimagined with a cast of immigrants and children of immigrants including Hasan Minhaj, Cobie Smulders, Melissa Fumero and Harvey Guillén. The free event will stream live on the official website for Immigrant Defenders Law Center (ImmDef), a social justice law firm that has been at the forefront of the response to ongoing ICE raids largely targeting Southern California's Latino residents. The reading will be directed by Marvin Lemus ('Gentefied') and produced alongside Gloria Calderón Kellett ('One Day at a Time'), who hope the one-of-a-kind reading will help raise money for ImmDef's Bond Fund and bring a sense of levity to a community grief-stricken by the ongoing detentions and deportations. 'We want to give people joy. So much of what's in our feeds right now is sadness and fear,' says Calderón Kellett. 'Marvin and I are both children of immigrants, and this is our way of saying: You're seen, you're valued, and you're not alone.' The idea to do a live reading fundraiser was first sparked by Linda Yvette Chavez, who initially suggested to Lemus that they do a table read of their 2020 Netflix show 'Gentefied,' a show that explores changing neighborhood demographics and complex themes including family separation. But rather than harp on traumatic themes that parallel current immigration events, Lemus suggested 'Superbad,' a raunchy comedy film that always boosts his spirit. 'This year has been difficult, to say the least,' says Lemus. 'So the thought of putting together a crazy read of this classic comedy felt like it would be a fun way to raise funds for our community in need.' Friends and colleagues of the duo quickly jumped in to lend their support, including casting director Tawny Dicce ('The Goldbergs'). 'The whole thing came together, grassroots-style — friends calling friends,' says Calderón Kellett. She adds that the live reading notably got a blessing from writers Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, as well as producer Judd Apatow. 'They were incredibly supportive. We're so grateful,' says Calderón Kellett. 'Seth has said before how much he values the taste of young Latino audiences for his films, so we had a feeling he'd get it — and he did.' More surprise guests will be announced soon. There will be no record or replay of the event, per SAG-AFTRA rules, so viewers have the opportunity to catch this one time only on Sunday, Aug. 24, at 2 p.m. PT.
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Yahoo
John Leguizamo says he's 'humiliated' by his role in 'Regarding Henry': 'Talking about it gives me PTSD'
The actor said it was "like Jim Crow" attempting to work in Hollywood as a Latino in the early '90s: "There were no jobs for Latin folk." Key Points Actor John Leguizamo said he feels "humiliated" by his role in Mike Nichols' 1991 film Regarding Henry. Leguizamo played a robber at a time when he says working as a Latino in Hollywood "was like Jim Crow." "I did it because I got no jobs. There were no jobs for Latin folk," he said. One of actor John Leguizamo's first significant roles in a major movie is now marred in the actor's mind. The performer revealed on the Fly on the Wall podcast with Dana Carvey and David Spade that his supporting part in director Mike Nichols' 1991 film Regarding Henry doesn't sit well with him amongst his body of work, as he thinks the character is a poor representative for his community. "You know, I was kind of humiliated by it. I did it because I got no jobs. There were no jobs for Latin folk. There just weren't," he said in response to Spade asking him about the film, which starred Harrison Ford as a lawyer who loses the ability to talk after he's shot when a robber (Leguizamo) attempts to hold up a New York City bodega. "There were no opportunities," Leguizamo stressed of attempting to find work in the early '90s as a Latino actor. Leguizamo said the landscape of Hollywood at the time "was like Jim Crow," and cited that the list of characters available "was like white doctor, white lawyer, white husband, white lover, Latino drug dealer." The comedian and actor said he begged his agent to get him in the room with those casting projects, so he could recite David Mamet monologues in an attempt to win roles, but that his team told him that those in power wouldn't see him at all. "They just weren't casting us," Leguizamo told Carvey and Spade. "When I got Regarding Henry, it was a drug dealer. I shoot this white guy. It was like, I'm perpetrating what they want to see, which is negative Latino images. I didn't want to participate in that, but I really wanted to meet Mike Nichols because he's one of the greats." Leguizamo said he ultimately took the part because of the opportunity to work with Nichols and Ford, but he doesn't like looking back on it. "Even talking about it gives me PTSD," Leguizamo added, before Carvey asked if he was ever asked to "Latin it up a little more" for a part. "They didn't have to say that to me as much. I was the flavor they were looking for, like a ghetto hoodrat," he remembered. "I had been working against that. All my acting teachers, when I was 17, they were like, 'No one can understand you with that accent. Do you really speak that way?'" Since then, Leguizamo mounted a successful career on the big screen, landing parts in Carlito's Way, Romeo + Juliet, Summer of Sam, Moulin Rouge!, and a Golden Globe-nominated role in 1995's To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar. He also won an Emmy for his 1998 stand-up special John Leguizamo: Freak. Leguizamo has long spoken out about equality in the entertainment industry, including urging the TV Academy to honor more Latino talent in a 2024 open letter one year after he slammed the latest Super Mario Bros. animated movie over a lack of Latino representation. "No, I will not be watching," Leguizamo, who played Luigi in the 1993 live-action Super Mario Bros. film, told TMZ when asked if he'd watch the 2023 animated adaptation of the Nintendo franchise. "They could've included a Latin character. I was groundbreaking, and they stopped the groundbreaking." Watch Leguizamo's full interview on Fly on the Wall above. Read the original article on Entertainment Weekly Solve the daily Crossword
UPI
8 hours ago
- UPI
Watch: Jennifer Lopez sings and dances in 'Kiss of the Spider Woman'
1 of 3 | Jennifer Lopez plays a Hollywood actress in "Kiss of the Spider Woman." File Photo by James Atoa/UPI | License Photo Aug. 20 (UPI) -- Roadside Attractions is giving a glimpse of the new film Kiss of the Spider Woman. The studio shared a trailer for the movie Wednesday featuring Jennifer Lopez, Diego Luna and Tonatiuh. Kiss of the Spider Woman is based on the Manuel Puig novel and Broadway musical of the same name. Bill Condon (Chicago, Dreamgirls) directs the adaptation. Luna and Tonatiuh star as Valentin and Molina, two inmates in an Argentine prison who bond as Molina shares his stories and imaginings of Ingrid Luna (Lopez), a Hollywood actress. Kiss of the Spider Woman premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January. The film opens in theaters Oct. 10. Jennifer Lopez turns 56: a look back Actress Jennifer Lopez arrives at the MTV Movie Awards in Santa Monica, Calif., on May 30, 1998. Lopez was nominated for Best Female Performance and Best Kiss for "Out of Sight." Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI | License Photo
