OC Film Fiesta features free films and music from Sep. 1-16

City of Santa Ana, Downtown Orange County

Community: OC Film Fiesta Features Three Weekends of Films and Music Free Fest Celebrating Orange County’s Cinema Heritage Runs Sept. 1-16

The 3rd Annual OC Film Fiesta

returns to Santa Ana September 1-16 for a three-week cinematic celebration of Orange County’s multicultural heritage. 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. Additionally, the OC Film Fiesta brings Hollywood glamour to the heart of OC. In its first two years, the Film Fiesta has brought many special celebrity guests, including Hector Jimenez (Nacho Libre), Miguel Rodarte (Saving Private Perez) and Ted Thomas (Walt & El Grupo), son of legendary Disney animator Frank Thomas, who attended the festival in previous years.

The 2012 Film Fiesta will feature special screenings in partnership with the Road Less Traveled, Grand Central Art Center, United Artists of Santa Ana and the Mexican Consulate. The Film Fiesta will also present a Cinema Brunch series and international animation showcase.

The OC Film Fiesta is free and open to the public. Screenings will take place at various locations throughout Santa Ana’s Artist Village, which is located at 207 N. Broadway, Santa Ana, CA 92701. 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 produced by POCHARTE and Festival Director Sandra “Pocha” Peña. Visit www.ocfilmfiesta.org for the festival schedule, directions and other information. To be a part of the 2012 Film Fiesta or to discuss sponsorship opportunities, please contact Victor Payan at 619-701-0073 or via email at victor@ocfilmfiesta.org.

The 2012 OC Film Fiesta is presented by the City of Santa Ana with support from the Mexican Consulate in Santa Ana, OC Weekly, MX Live, The Road Less Traveled, Grand Central Art Center, United Artists of Santa Ana, Stay Connected and Aztec Gold TV.

####

Contact Information:
Sandra Pena Sarmiento
info@ocfilmfiesta.org

PRESS RELEASE, FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 28, 2012
CONTACT: Sandra Peña Sarmiento, Festival Director

E-mail: info@ocfilmfiesta.org

Website: www.ocfilmfiesta.org

THE CRUMBLES Award-Winning Feature Film to Open OC Film Fiesta Sept. 1

WHAT: THE CRUMBLES Opens for the 3rd Annual OC Film Fiesta
WHEN: September 1, 2012, live bands 6 pm, film screening 8 pm
WHERE: Santa Ana Artists Village 207 N. Broadway Santa Ana, CA 92701

Santa Ana, CA, September 1, 2012– THE CRUMBLES, winner of the Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature at the San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival, will open for the 3rd Annual OC Film Fiesta. The opening night celebrations will kick off with special performances by bands The Moan, The Tequila Worms, and a special guest. A Q&A with the cast and crew will follow the screening.

THE CRUMBLES follows the ups and downs of the greatest band in the world… that no one’s ever heard of. This indie rock slice-of-life tragicomedy stars a talented up-and-coming, multi- racial cast including Teresa Michelle Lee, Katie Hipol and Jeff Torres, whose performances have been called “memorable and spirited” by the San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival. The film is set in Echo Park, one of LA’s oldest and most eclectic neighborhoods, with a population made up of working class Latinos, hipsters, and artists of all stripes. The odd mixture of people and cultures creates a funky and flavorful milieu, where the characters in THE CRUMBLES fit right in.

Darla (Katie Hipol) is an overly serious musician whose stagnant life is shaken up when her long lost best friend Elisa (Teresa Michelle Lee) shows up and crashes on her couch… indefinitely. Free-spirited Elisa has just moved back to Los Angeles after a devastating break-up, and no one else in their funky group of friends is willing to help her out. She is charming and musically gifted, making her the perfect partner in the band that Darla has long wanted to start up. But when the band gets rolling, insecurity, heartache, and oversized egos all work against them. While they both share dreams of rocking the globe, it becomes a monumental struggle just getting their new band out of the garage.

THE CRUMBLES is award-winning director Akira Boch’s feature film debut. Inspired by Boch’s real-life experience of playing in a garage band, it captures the feeling of excitement that comes with being a young adult — stepping out into the world on a new adventure with friends, beginning the fulfillment of a long-held fantasy. But the film also shows how reality eventually wins out – bringing disappointment and heartbreak, and forcing people to be resilient and grow.

Indie film fans and music lovers will be drawn in by the original soundtrack by Quetzal Flores, whose band, QUETZAL, has been called “provocative, heartfelt and strikingly original” by the LA Times. Spending months working on the songs in his home studio with the help of his musician friends, Flores produced a unique sound tailored for the fictional band and the actors’ real musical talents.

“We’re excited to open our free cinematic celebration of Orange County’s cultural diversity with The Crumbles,” says Film Fiesta Director Sandra “Pocha” Peña. “We’ve created a great festival experience where people can see some wonderful films and then visit the many excellent local restaurants and galleries in Santa Ana’s Artists Village. It’s like a little piece of Sundance in Santa Ana.”

The OC Film Fiesta is free and open to the public. Screenings will take place at various locations throughout Santa Ana’s Artist Village, which is located at 207 N. Broadway, Santa Ana, CA 92701. 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.

For more information about THE CRUMBLES and Chicken Teriyaki Bingo Productions, LLC, please visit www.TheCrumbles.com or contact Gena Hamamoto at info@thecrumbles.com.

The 2012 OC Film Fiesta is presented by the City of Santa Ana with support from the Mexican Consulate in Santa Ana, OC Weekly, MX Live, OCGente.com, Latino Health Access, Carvin, State Farm Insurance, The 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, Country Garden Caterers, Robert Escalante’s Custom Auto Service, Centro Cultural de Mexico, Mexicanisimo, The Anti-Defamation League, Los Amigos de Santa Ana, Pocho Catering, Mi Moda, Santanero Zine, Downtown, Inc., Elegante Boutique and Aztec GoldTV. Produced by Pocharte. E-mail: info@ocfilmfiesta.org.