The San Diego Latino Film Festival is committed to celebrating the amazing and impressive features created by filmmakers living in the San Diego / Tijuana region. This year, these films highlight important issues affecting the populations of both regions, take us on a rip-roaring road trip from San Diego to Baja California, and highlight the lengths a taxi driver will go to in order to secure a batch of tamales. Join us as we honor these creative locals making a difference in the region’s art scene.
Beyond the Crossfire
Dirs. Sabrina Cremascoli, Ciera Ybarra, Gabe Garcia, Karen Villalbazo, Eduardo Bimbela, Joanne Collazo, Shayne Cole, Michael Berry
(USA, 60 min., 2016, English, Documentary)
3/18 / 5:10 / S1
3/26 / 11:30AM / S9
A group of 45 students from High Tech High Chula Vista set out to make a documentary about the effects of gun violence in America. They traveled across the country to capture the stories of leaders in brain health, youth mentor programs, peer-to-peer counseling, and juvenile justice reform. The student filmmakers discovered how these leader’s efforts helped reduce violence in their communities. Frontera Filmmakers Showcase.
Ghost Magnet Roach Motel
Dir. Shinpei Takeda
(USA / Mexico / Austria, 70 min. 2016, English, Spanish w/ English subtitles, Documentary)
3/18 / 3:55 / S3
3/20 / 9:30 / S1
Ghost Magnet Roach Motel is a Punk Musical documentary by the artist and director Shinpei Takeda. The intimate portrait of two American musicians, two Mexican visual artists, and the Japanese filmmaker draws on a bluntly existential confrontation of their individual struggles between addiction and expression, just like the border overlooking Tijuana and San Diego. Frontera Filmmakers Showcase.
Slap Worthy
Dir. Luis Martinez
(USA, 57 min., 2016, English, Comedy)
3/21 / 6:30 / S9
3/25 / 11:00AM / DGC
Local filmmaker Luis Martinez’s latest project is a hilarious comedy about a man who enlists the help of his friend to win over the girl of his dreams. Things get complicated when he realizes getting what he wants is much more difficult than he could have ever anticipated. Frontera Filmmakers Showcase.
Ruta Madre
Dir. Agustin Castaneda
(Mexico / USA, 97 min., 2016, English, Spanish w/ English subtitles, Drama / Comedy)
3/16 / 7:30 / S1
3/18 / 6:00 / S3
3/20 / 6:45 / S1
After his first love breaks his heart, a young American singer reluctantly leaves his home in San Diego, California and embarks on an epic road trip through Baja with his uncle in order to reconnect with his Mexican roots and find himself. Featuring performances from Carmen Salinas, Paul Rodriguez, Paulina Gaitan, and Angélica María. Frontera Filmmakers Showcase.
¿Y los tamales?
Dir. Tomas Chi
(Honduras, 70 min., 2016, English w/ Spanish subtitles, Comedy)
3/20 / 7:00 / S2
3/26 / 11:00AM / DGC
In this hilarious Honduran comedy by local producer Monika Tuncbilek, a cab driver is tasked by his wife with picking up tamales for Christmas Eve. En route, he picks up a diverse array of characters, including a “Bad Santa” and a thief, resulting in an evening unlike any other. Frontera Filmmakers Showcase.
Passes now available on line. Purchase today!
For screening links and interview inquiries, contact for the Media Arts Center San Diego:
Laura Castañeda / Press Pass International / PresspassLC@gmail.com / 619-855-4140