SAN DIEGO COUNTY, Calif. — Next month, the popcorn will be popped, the red carpet will be rolled out and once again lovers of Latino cinema will be able to watch an array of movies in the comfy confines of a theater.
Starting March 10 at the AMC Mission valley, the 29th annual San Diego Latino film festival will once again be the big in-person event that it once was.
"The past two years have been mainly virtual film programs. So we're excited to get people back together," said Ethan Van Thillo, the executive director and founder of the festival. "In addition to the 100+ movies, 75 actors, filmmakers coming from all over Latin America and Mexico. We're going to have live outdoor events as well."
The festival will kick off with a documentary- Pepe Serna: Life is Art, profiling one of the most prolific Latino character actors of all time.
"I've been in 100 movies, 300 TV shows," said Serna, who sat down for an interview with News 8. "I'm a character actor. I never think of anything as being a small part because life is life."
Serna, an activist in the Chicano movement his earlier days, has been acting in a wide variety of roles since the 70’s. With credits in films like: The Jerk, Scarface and Downsizing- Serna has had consistent work in Hollywood for over 50 years.
"I'm 77, I'm still doing it," said Serna. "When I get that great part, that thrill, the endorphins are going off an you're like, oh man, there's no greater drug!"
The festival provides a space for films that might not be seen by a wider American audience. Stories, color and culture from around Latin America, on the big screen here in San Diego.
To buy tickets you can find them on their website here.
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