A documentary about a forgotten Chicano leader, short films about human trafficking and success at all costs, animation and music videos are among this year’s selections for the El Paso Community Foundation Plaza Classic Film Festival’s annual Local Flavor showcase.
Sponsored by the Texas Film Commission, Local Flavor was curated by El Paso-based filmmakers Zach Passero and Lucky McKee. They sifted through nearly 50 entries, which were made in or connected to the El Paso-Ciudad Juarez-Las Cruces, N.M. area. The selected entries will be shown during the 11th annual Plaza Classic Film Festival from August 2-12, 2018 (plazaclassic.com).
The first Local Flavor Awards, sponsored by the Public Relations Association of the Southwest, will be announced in a special presentation at the end of the festival. The first place Local Flavor Award is worth $1,000. Audiences will vote for the Audience Flavorite Award, which is $500.
Here’s a rundown of the films and programs:
• Local Flavor I (8 p.m. Saturday, August 4, Foundation Room) — Avalanche, Amalia Mondragon music video (Robert Holguin); Shotgun, comedy (Jenn Garcia/Colin A. Borden); Act of Contrition, drama (Jonathan Gonzales); Twilight Prophecy, animation (Enrique Ponce/Joseph Scheidemandel); Matter of Black, drama (Jenn Garcia, Robert Dugan); Mask World, sci-fi (Francisco Castaneda); and Bebe, drama (Ryan Zaragoza). Free admission.
• The Wall VR (2:30 p.m. Sunday, August 5, Foundation Room) — The 18-minute, border-themed virtual reality short will be screened on headsets continuously over a 90-minute period. Filmmaker Claudio Lai will be present to demonstrate and answer questions. Free.
• They Called Me King Tiger (3:30 p.m. Sunday, August 5, Philanthropy Theatre) — Juarez filmmaker Angel Estrada Soto’s documentary about late Chicano leader Reies Lopez Tijerina; in Spanish with English subtitles. $4 at the Plaza Theatre Box Office.
• Local Flavor II (8 p.m. Saturday, August 11, Foundation Room) — Real Eyes, Tawanda music video (Jenn Garcia/Robert Dugan); Parade of Dreams, documentary (Chris Hanna/Gabe Gillette); Lost Paradise, Fools Like Me music video (Eric Coughanor/Oliver G. Tavizon), Hall Monitors, animation (Victor Maestas); The Arrangements, drama (Kim McKean); and Blood Stains (pictured), drama (Blake Vaz). Free.
• Local Flavor Awards (2:30 p.m. Sunday, August 12, Foundation Room) — We’ll announce and show the Local Flavor and Audience Flavorite winners, plus the winners from the El Paso Film Commission’s El Paso 2 Day Movie Challenge. Free.
