Nonprofit looks to entire region for this year’s Latino Film Festival
Anthony King | Downtown News Assistant Editor
The Media Arts Center San Diego crosses a milestone this year, with their 20th anniversary celebration of the San Diego Latino Film Festival March 7 – 17. What started as a small student film collective has grown into one of the leading festivals focusing on work by and about the Latino experience.
To help promote this year’s festival, Media Arts Center organizers held an official launch party Feb. 21 at Gang Kitchen, located at 345 Sixth Ave. in Downtown. Media Arts Center founder and Executive Director Ethan van Thillo, along with other staff, offered information on the festival and received a proclamation from Mayor Bob Filner’s office declaring the date Latino Film Festival Day in San Diego.
“Twenty years ago we started as a small student film festival, and now we’re expecting over 20,000 [attendees],” van Thillo said of this year’s anniversary. “We’re really excited.”
In honor of the festival’s 20 years, Media Arts Center will be screening their “top 10 groundbreaking and influential” Latino films from the past 20 years. “The selected films blur the line between reality and fantasy, explore ideas of love and friendship and delve into pertinent social and political topics such as poverty, memory and state violence,” organizers said.
The 10 films are “Nostalgia de la Luz” from Chile; “Cronos,” “Desperado,” “Amores Perros,” and “Y Tú Mamá También” from Mexico; “Fresa y Chocolate” from Cuba; “Abres los Ojos” and “Todo Sobre Mi Madre” from Spain; and “Central do Brasil” and “Ciudade de Deus” from Brazil.
Organizers are also screening another classic, “Selena,” in partnership with Full Moon Drive-In in Pacific Beach. The movie will show March 14 at 7:30 p.m. at the authentic drive-in, located at 1500 Felspar St. The movie’s director, Gregory Nava, will be in attendance.
“Looking back at our 20 year history, San Diego-born filmmaker Gregory Nava and acting legend, Lupe Ontiveros, have both attended numerous times and have been so important to the film festival,” van Thillo said. “So, in celebration of our 20th Anniversary and in tribute to the late Lupe Ontiveros, [we are] honored to present this audience favorite in a great new and exciting outdoor venue.”
Festival Special Events Producer Yolanda Walther-Meade hosted the event at Gang Kitchen, and helped introduce guest dignitaries including the Mexican Conusl General in San Diego and the mayor of Tijuana, Mexico, Carlos Bustamante.
Recognizing San Diego as part of a complex border region, Media Arts Center is looking to reach a wider audience. They will be screening a selection of films in Tijuana for this year’s festival, and will once again offer the Borders on Film program, featuring films that explore concepts of how borders affect a region.
“This year to commemorate our 20th anniversary, in an act which really highlights the importance of our cross-border region, we are exemplifying our spirit of regional unity,” Walther-Meade said.
Two of the festival’s three main parties will take place at Downtown locations, including the opening night party March 7 at Café Sevilla, located at 353 Fifth Ave. The Centerpiece Screening after party on March 13 will be at FLUXX Nightclub, located at 500 Fourth Ave. Five Star Tours will offer free transportation from the Mission Valley movie theater to the downtown locations.
The closing weekend party held March 16, will be at the San Diego Air & Space Museum in Balboa Park. Organizers are expecting VIP guests from several of the films screened throughout the festival to attend.
“It’s really all about you, our community here and on the other side of the border,” Walther-Meade said. “You are the reason that we at Media Arts Center San Diego and the San Diego Latino Film Festival are able to celebrate 20 healthy, vigorous, vibrant years.”
Most films screen at the Digiplex Mission Valley, formerly the UltraStar Mission Valley Cinemas, located at 7510 Hazard Center Drive. General admission tickets are $10.50 per film, with discounts for students, seniors, military and Media Arts Center members. There are also special prices on passes and family tickets.
For the complete schedule and movie information – including the opening party, closing weekend party and centerpiece showcase – as well as to purchase tickets, visit sdlatinofilm.com or call 619-230-1938.
