OC Film Fiesta Continues with Green Docs, Lucha LIbre and Tin Tan Tribute

For Immediate Release: September 12, 2012
Contact: Sandra “Pocha” Peña
Email: info@ocfilmfiesta.org
Phone: 619-701-0073
Festival website: www.ocfilmfiesta.org

OC Film Fiesta Continues with Green Docs, Lucha LIbre and Tin Tan Tribute

Final Weekend of Free Festival Coincides with Fiestas Patrias Celebration in Santa Ana

The 3rd Annual OC Film Fiesta comes to a fun-filled close this weekend with a celebration of legendary Mexican film comedian Tin Tan and boogie woogie dance party, the OC Premiere of Carlos Avila’s lucha libre documentary and the classic Mexican wrestler film El Santo en el museo de cera (El Santo in the Wax Museum). This weekend’s line-up also includes the environmental documentaries The Greenhorns and Brilliant Soil, and coincides with Santa Ana’s annual Fiestas Patrias Celebration, which draws 300,000 people to downtown Santa Ana.

Screenings are free and open to the public. All films except Brilliant Soil will be presented at the Orange County Center for Contemporary Art, which is located at 117 N. Sycamore in Santa Ana. Brilliant Soil will screen at the Yost Theater, located at 307 N. Spurgeon Street.

“The 2012 Film Fiesta has been a tremendous success with packed screenings, important community dialogues and tremendous support from Santa Ana artists, merchants and restaurants,” says Festival Director Sandra “Pocha” Peña. “We have had great response from attendees throughout Orange County, and we invite county residents to come to Santa Ana for the final festival weekend as well as the great Fiestas Patrias Celebration.”

The OC Film Fiesta screenings are located in and around the Santa Ana Artists Village, which is easily accessible by OCTA. To plan routes using OCTA’s handy online trip planner, visit www.octa.net.

The OC Film Fiesta is a free three-week cinematic celebration of Orange County’s multicultural heritage that runs from Sept. 1-16. Presented by the City of Santa Ana, the 2012 OC Film Fiesta takes place in Santa Ana’s vibrant downtown Artists Village. The OC Film Fiesta presents an award-winning selection of feature films, documentaries, short films and activities for a diverse audience of families, students, artists, professionals and lovers of cinema from throughout the county.

Launched in 2010, the OC Film Fiesta adds to the cultural vitality of downtown Santa Ana, promotes community involvement and deepens relationships with local cultural groups, businesses, colleges and the film industry. The Film Fiesta takes place in conjunction with the annual Fiestas Patrias celebration, which draws 250,000 attendees to downtown Santa Ana.

The OC Film Fiesta is free and open to the public. Join us for this year’s Film Fiesta, and be a part of this dynamic cinema celebration in the historic heart of downtown OC!

The Film Fiesta is presented by the City of Santa Ana and produced by Pocharte. Visit www.ocfilmfiesta.org for a full festival schedule and special event information. To schedule an interview with filmmakers or Festival Director Sandra Pena Sarmiento, email info@ocfilmfiesta.org This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or call 619-701-0073.

The 2012 OC Film Fiesta is presented by the City of Santa Ana and Produced by Pocharte with support from the Mexican Consulate in Santa Ana, MX Live, OC Weekly, OCGente.com, Carvin, State Farm Insurance, Country Garden Caterers, Latino Health Access, The Anti-Defamation League, The National Center for Jewish Film, Arts OC, Road Less Traveled, Grand Central Art Center, Orange County Center for Contemporary Art, The Grain Project, United Artists of Santa Ana, Stay Connected OC, Calacas, Robert Escalante’s Custom Auto Service, Mexicanisimo, Centro Cultural de Mexico, Los Amigos de Santa Ana, Pocho Catering, Mi Moda Italian Suits, Santanero Zine, Espacio Alternativo, Lola Paige, The Gypsy Den, Santa Ana Arts District, Downtown Soul, Colleen O’Hara Beauty Academy, Downtown, Inc., Voice of OC, Elegante Boutique and Aztec Gold TV. Graphics by AztecGoldTV and Red Cielo. E-mail:info@ocfilmfiesta.org.

The Orange County Premiere of Carlos Avilas’ the new PBS documentary Tales of Masked Men closes the 2012 OC Film Fiesta on Sun., Sept. 16 at 7pm at the Orange County Center for Contemporary Art, located at 117 N. Sycamore in Santa Ana.

Film Fiesta Closing Weekend Schedule

Sat., Sept. 15 @ 1pm

The Greenhorns
Dir. Severine von Tscharner Fleming
Orange County Center for Contemporary Art
117 North Sycamore, Santa Ana, CA 92701
View Trailer | Website

The Greenhorns is a documentary film that explores the lives of America’s young farming community—its spirit, practices, and needs. As the nation experiences a groundswell of interest in sustainable lifestyles, we see the promising beginnings of an agricultural revival. Young farmers’ efforts feed us safe food, conserve valuable land, and reconstitute communities split apart by strip malls. It is the filmmakers’s hope that by broadcasting the stories and voices of these young farmers, we can inspire another generation of optimistic agrarians.

Co-Presented with The Road Less Traveled and The Grain Project.

Sat., Sept. 15 @ 3pm

Tin Tan
Dir. Francesco Taboada Tabone
Orange County Center for Contemporary Art
117 North Sycamore, Santa Ana, CA 92701
View Trailer | Website

Germán Cipriano Gómez Valdés Castillo, better known as his famous character “Tin Tan,” gained the attention of an entire continent through his “pachuco” style, use of Spanglish, and rapid, comedic improvisation. His talent as an actor, singer, dancer and comedian also helped establish the Golden Age of Mexican cinema. Through interviews with his family and Mexican film legends such as Silvia Pinal, Tongolele, Capulina, El Loco Valdez, Zamorita and Margarito, the story of Tin Tan is told as it never has been before.

Followed by an interactive Boogie Woogie dance demonstration.

Sun., Sept. 16 @ 1pm

Brilliant Soil
Dir. Jose Luis Figueroa Lewis and Sebastian Diaz Aguirre
The Yost Theater
307 N. Spurgeon Street, Santa Ana CA 92701
View Trailer | Website

By custom, thousands of artisans in Mexico still use lead based glazes in their pottery without knowing the damage that this toxic element causes to their health.

Herlinda, an indigenous Purepecha potter, is one of the few artisans in her community who uses alternative lead-free glazes. Having achieved safer and healthier living conditions for her family, she faces the difficult task of finding a market for her impressive pieces.

But this does not dull her dreams of having her shop thrive and her brothers return from El the United States to rejoin the family tradition.

Co-Presented with Grand Central Art Center, Bulbo (Tijuana/Los Angeles ) and the Yost Theatre.

Sun., Sept. 16 @ 5:30pm

El Santo en el museo de ceda (El Santo in the Wax Museum)
Dir. Alfonso Corona Blake, Starring El Santo
Orange County Center for Contemporary Art
117 North Sycamore, Santa Ana, CA 92701
View Trailer

El Santo, the masked Mexican wrestler, investigates a series of kidnappings. He discovers that the mysterious Doctor Caroll is using the victims as part of his experiments to develop an army of monsters. Naturally, El Santo is able to overcome them all – with wrestling

Sun., Sept. 16 @ 7:00pm

Tales of Masked Men
Dir. Carlos Avila
Special Guest: Carlos Avila
Orange County Center for Contemporary Art
117 North Sycamore, Santa Ana, CA 92701
View Trailer | Website

OC Premiere of a new PBS documentary exploring Lucha Libre (Mexican wrestling) and the tradition of the masked Mexican wrestler. A Film by Carlos Avila. Co-Produced & Edited by Thom Calderón.

www.ocfilmfiesta.org