The UCSD Library will be celebrating the acquisition of the papers of filmmaker Paul Espinosa with a fall film series, beginning with an opening reception on Oct. 10 in Geisel Library, and film screenings on Oct. 23 at the university’s Cross Cultural Center, Nov. 4 at the Digital Gym Cinema in North Park, and Nov. 10 at the Museum of Photographic Arts. All events are free and open to the public.
The library has acquired the papers of Espinosa, an award-winning independent filmmaker known for his documentary and dramatic films focused on the U.S.-Mexican border region, which helped increase awareness about a host of immigration and cross-cultural issues.
Espinosa, recipient of eight Emmy Awards for his films, recently retired from Arizona State University, where he was on the faculty at the School of Transborder Studies. He continues to make films through his company, Espinosa Productions, now located in San Diego.
“We are honored to have acquired Paul Espinosa’s papers, which will be widely used on this campus,” said Brian Schottlaender, The Audrey Geisel University Librarian at UCSD. “Our library collections have particular strengths on California and Baja California history as well as on Chicano culture and activism. The Espinosa Papers will certainly strengthen and complement these materials.”
According to Lynda Claassen, the library’s director of Special Collections & Archives, Espinosa’s materials include approximately 200 boxes) documenting more than 35 years of filmmaking, including interviews, research materials, photos and correspondence as well as films scripts, DVDs and video.
“As a longtime resident of San Diego, where so much of my professional work was created, I was delighted that my papers found a home at UC San Diego, where scholars will have access to this extensive archive for decades to come,” said Espinosa.
– Metro de San Diego