O.C. Film Fiesta, in Santa Ana from Sep. 3-18

For Immediate Release
Contact: Sandra Peña Sarmiento

August 19, 2011

OC Film Fiesta Brings Award-Winning Films and Movie Stars to Santa Ana Sept. 3-18
Free Latino Film Festival Begins Sat., Sept. 3 with Outdoor Screening and Zorro Tribute

(Santa Ana, CA) The OC Film Fiesta returns to downtown Santa Ana Sept. 3-18 for another cinematic celebration of Orange County’s cultural diversity and rich Latino history. The festival opens on Saturday, September 3 with a special screen tribute under the stars to Zorro, Orange County’s own international ambassador of swashbuckling.

This special free outdoor screening of the 1920 Douglas Fairbanks classic film The Mark of Zorro will take place at 120 W. Civic Center Drive in downtown Santa Ana and will also feature a display of vintage 1920s automobiles and music from the Roaring ‘20s. The event will begin at 7pm, and the screening will take place at dusk.

This year’s Film Fiesta schedule includes fun family screenings, insightful documentaries, classic films and movie stars. Among the line-up are John J. Valadez’s Imagen Award-winning civil rights documentary The Longoria Affair, Ray Telles’ epic documentary about the Mexican Revolution, The Storm that Swept Mexico and the new comedy White Knight starring Tom Sizemore (Saving Private Ryan) as a jailed Ku Klux Klan leader who learns some lessons about tolerance from his Mexican farm labor organizer cellmate played by Nacho Libre’s Hector Jimenez. The film also stars Stacy Keach and Olga Segura.

Stars Hector Jimenez, Olga Segura and director Jesse Baget will be in attendance for the free red carpet screening of White Knight, which takes place Sunday, September 18 at the historic Yost Theater.

The 2011 Film Fiesta will also screen the lavish Mexican Golden Age classic Bugambilia, starring Dolores del Rio and Pedro Armendariz as well as John Ford’s 1947 film The Fugitive, which stars del Rio, Armendariz and Henry Fonda. Both films feature stunning cinematography by Gabriel Figueroa.

The Film Fiesta is partnering with the Vietnamese American Arts & Letters Association to expand the celebration of Orange County’s cultural diversity through cinema by screening the award-winning feature film Touch, directed by Minh Duc Nguyen as well as a selection of short films from the Vietnamese International Film Festival. Other festival highlights include the documentaries Paraiso for Sale about gentrification in Panama and Harlistas: An American Journey, a moving tribute to Latino Harley Davidson riders and their shared love of family, camaraderie and the American Dream.

Presented by the City of Santa Ana, the Film Fiesta coincides with the City’s annual Fiestas Patrias celebration, which attracts more than 250,000 people. Working with community organizations and local businesses, the OC Film Fiesta celebrates Santa Ana’s vibrant Latino heritage through free screenings at historically significant venues in the heart of downtown Santa Ana.

Launched in 2010, the OC Film Fiesta provides an important cultural celebration for the families and residents of Santa Ana as well as patrons from around the county. Screenings will take place at the historic Yost Theater, the Santa Ana Public Library, Calacas, Original Mike’s and the Santa Ana Senior Center.

The OC Film Fiesta in Santa Ana is presented by the City of Santa Ana. Sponsors include: MXLive, The Yost, OC Weekly, the Santa Ana Historical Preservation Society, Original Mike’s, Robert Escalante’s Custom Auto Service, Top Finish, VAALA, Stay Connected, OCGente.com, Calacas, Espacio Alternativo, Chapter One and Aztec Gold. Produced by Pocharte.

For a full 2011 Film Fiesta schedule, movie trailers or sponsorship information, please visit www.ocfilmfiesta.org or contact Festival Director Sandra Peña Sarmiento at info@ocfilmfiesta.org.

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