The Phoenix College Latino Film Festival will be presenting a diverse sample of films from Latin America and the United States. Phoenix College Latino Film Festival Founder and Director Trino Sandoval discusses the films that will be shown at the festival.
José Cárdenas: Next week the Phoenix College Latino Film Festival will be presenting a diverse sample of films. First, here's one of the films you'll be able to watch, "El Barrio Tours - Gentrification in Spanish Harlem."
Joining me now to talk about this year's Phoenix College Latino festival is Trino Sandoval, founder and director of the Phoenix College Latino film festival. Tell us a little about the film and why it is in important to the whole country even though it is about Harlem.
Trino Sandoval: Well, El Barrio tours is a film about gentrification in Spanish Harlem in New York, directed by Andrew J. Padilla, who is going to be attending the festival to answer questions after the viewing of the film. It's an important film because gentrification does not only occur in New York, it happens in most major cities in the U.S. Minority communities, poor communities in this case, Mexican and Puerto Rican communities in New York.
José Cárdenas: Tell us about the interesting things going on there.
Trino Sandoval: What's important about this film is displacing communities who live in the area, but the companies and developers trying to move in are trying to even change the name of Spanish Harlem, or call it Upper New Yorkville because they want to attract people spending the money in this new area that is gentrified.
José Cárdenas: It's an issue all over the country, a lot of focus on San Francisco and what's going on there with the tech workers. You have five other films?
Trino Sandoval: Yes, we have five documentary films and one feature film as part of the festival.
José Cárdenas: Let's talk about the festival.
Trino Sandoval: It opened 29th of April with El Barrio Tours and on the 30th of April we have a film called Las Martas, it takes place in Texas about a Chicano community on the border that tries to imitate George Washington and his wife Martha.. It's being kept alive by Chicanas who live in the area.
José Cárdenas: My initial thought was the focus was on the coming out parties for Mexican girls.
Trino Sandoval: It is similar to that, but they want to imitate things that took place in the Washington era. A lot of families spent a lot of money, up to $3,000 just on the gown the girls wear, the equivalent of what a family in the area makes in a whole year.
José Cárdenas: And then several pieces from Colombia.
Trino Sandoval: Feature film is called [inaudible]. The film talks about a fisher village in the Pacific part of Colombia, and how they are struggling with multinational companies that come to overfish the area and they have to find ways of making a living. The other film from Colombia is called Looking Forward, by a very young director, it's a very personal documentary. It deals with her personal search for her father. She was born in London to a Colombian mother and Pakistani father. The film tries to trace her Colombian roots.
José Cárdenas: It's the young woman looking for her father.
Trino Sandoval: Yes. It talks about the whole issue of globization and how people go to other countries and make a new life there, and then come back to Colombia with a new life.
José Cárdenas: What other films are people going to be able to see?
Trino Sandoval: Another interesting film I recommend is called "Augustine's Newspaper." It's a documentary film that deals with the influence of a newspaper and their influence and their interesting and illegal tactics to overthrow the Allende regime in the early 70's. It was in connection with the CIA and very elite families that are very supportive of Pinochet.
José Cárdenas: Is this a recent film?
Trino Sandoval: I don't believe that particular film has been shown in Phoenix. The film I believe is from 2012.
José Cárdenas: Relatively recent.
Trino Sandoval: It is pretty recent, yes. The film deals with a group of young university students who are studying journalism. They did very extensive research to make the film. It's very, very accurate, very informative and talks about the particular issue of the overthrow of Allende.
José Cárdenas: That really is true of that set of films, you go from London to Colombia to Chile and back home to Phoenix.
Trino Sandoval: Absolutely, I wanted to make sure we included a film from Phoenix. The film is called "Immigration Paradox," it's been screened in Phoenix a few times. It's going to be screened for the first time in its new 90-minute format. The new version is more feasible to watch in festivals and other venues. Of course the director will be there to answer questions with the audience.
José Cárdenas: We heard on the show here a while back. There's going to be somebody connected to each movie who will be present to talk about the film.
Trino Sandoval: Yes, one thing we wanted to do is make sure we had every director of the film present. Because of financial reasons we were not able to bring all six but we will have four directors present after each screening. The other two, one from Argentina and one from Chile will not be able to be here, but they will talk with the audience through Skype to answer questions.
José Cárdenas: People go to movies and enjoy the films, why is it important to have that kind of dialogue?
Trino Sandoval: I think people like to know the greater process around a film. Particularly students studying film, it's very important for them to hear about the creative process, how the film was made. And then for other people it's important to know that the director may answer questions, if they are not clear through the film. People are just attracted to see who made the film.
José Cárdenas: A moment ago, we saw details regarding the festival and when it's going to be. One of the important things, it's free.
Trino Sandoval: It's absolutely free, every film is free and every director will be present either in person or via Skype. The festival will be held here at the Civic Space in downtown Phoenix and also at Phoenix College.
José Cárdenas: First three films are at Civic Space and Saturday there are two films.
Trino Sandoval: We wanted a matinee for those who wanted to see an evening show. We have a 2 p.m. screening of "Immigration Paradox."
José Cárdenas: Trino Sandoval, congratulations thanks for joining "Horizonte" to talk about the festival.
Trino Sandoval: Thanks for having me.
José Cárdenas: That's our show tonight here on "Horizonte." I'm Jose Cardenas, have a good night.
Trino Sandoval:Founder and Director, Phoenix College Latino Film Festival;
