It’s been a long time coming, but the first Latino film festival for the Coachella Valley  finally arrived.  With the demographics to back-up the decision to present a film festival for Spanish and English speaking audiences, Festival executives and the Board of Directors made plans early this year to proceed to bring International films in Spanish and English (with sub-titles when appropriate) to an eclectic audience drawn from all communities of the low and high desert.

Festival President Janie Hughes, also of Q3Telecom, assembled a first rate team of programmers: including Phoenix-based Fred Linch, a film industry programmer of many years experience with the Palm Springs International Film Festival (PSIFF), Larry Zeiger, San Diego-based film festival consultant and composer, Los Angeles consultant Jerry Vukas, and international film festival consultant Craig Prater.

Florence Ren Figueroa Executive Producer of Under One Sky Productions, was named the Regional Producer for the entire festival and together with David Clinton-Reid, General Business Manager of the Indio Performing Arts Center (IPAC) took on the responsibility of bringing Hollywood TV and film personalities and their films to the festival.

A big catch in the celebrity department was TV Star Gregory Cruz, co-star with Holly Hunter on “Saving Grace”, who not only lent his name to the festival, but shared his extensive background with attendees.  Cruz is a charismatic Hispanic actor who succeeded in cracking the code many minority performers keep bumping into – a so- called “invisible casting wall”. The same can said for Hispanic writers, directors, cinematographers, and other creative artists in their quests for employment within the movie industry.

He is very articulate and eager to offer advice and assistance to help circumvent the roadblocks   Cruz was on hand for all three days of the festival to discuss how the new and upcoming crop of Hispanic actors, writers, producers, directors, musicians, and technicians, can fit into the overall Hollywood and independent film scene.  He conducted a seminar titled “Conversations With Gregory Cruz” and participated in the panel discussion that followed.

Also on hand over the three day festival were filmmakers Chris Hume, whose eagerly awaited documentary film “This Is Cuba” was screened.  For most viewers it was a first-hand look into today’s Cuba after years of US government embargos.  Christian Sesma, local Valley writer/director, screened his comedy film “I’m Not Like That No More”, Kieron Estrada, cinematographer/director of the sci-fi drama  “GB2525”, also conducted a Q & A session following his screening   The last film shown was the award-wining film from Uruguay, “The Pope’s Toilet”, by writer/director Cesar Charlone.

The films screened at this festival although few in number – just eight – were rich in cultural diversity, and technically very proficient.  What is hoped for now is for the Hispanic community to embrace films both in Spanish and English and take advantage of film festivals like CVLIFF right here in their own backyards.  

The festival closed with a musical concert-on-film, entitled “Latin Legends, with Trini Lopez” (another local resident of the valley).  In between film screenings and panel discussions lots of schmoozing and show business talk could be overheard.  It was a breakthrough time for Hispanic industry performers and executives and was the perfect opportunity to display their talents and make cultural statements in the process.  They have stories to tell and film will be the medium that will reach their ever-widening audience.