SAN DIEGO — As cars wiz by on El Cajon Boulevard in North Park, three women pop into a digital gym for an afternoon matinee.
Karen, a long-time patron of the cinema, came to see "Harriet."
"I was hoping they would book it here and sure enough."
Meanwhile in a room next to the theater, Renna, age six, is editing her movie: "More Cheese Please!"
What does "Harriet," a Hollywood Movie that grossed $42 million and "More Cheese Please!?" have in common? They both will be shown at the Digital Gym's small, 50 seat theater.
"No matter where you go in life you're going to have to know digital storytelling," explains Ethan Van Thillo, the Executive Director of the Media Arts Center. Nine years ago, he opened the Digital Gym, a space for teaching and showing cinema in the 21st century.
"We want to get the kids excited about learning, maybe it's through technology and film and video that makes them excited about researching about their community." says Thillo
Thillo is also the director of the San Diego Latino Film Festival, which aims to put more diversity on the big screen.
"We wanted to provide young Latinos growing up an opportunity to see accurate and positive portrayals of themselves that they can be doctors and lawyers and filmmakers."
The Media Arts Center San Diego Digital Gym has weekly camps for kids and is gearing up for the film festival which is happening March 12-22.