Tag: Guadalupe Theater

Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center’s 43rd annual CineFestival

The Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center announces the 43rd annual CineFestival at the historic Guadalupe Theater. Photo: google

San Antonio’s original Latinx film festival returns on July 6 through July 10 at the historic Guadalupe Theater with a large Texas filmmaker presence. Featuring 85 films, including 22 films from San Antonio and 24 films in the Lone Star State, CineFestival San Antonio continues to support local and regional filmmakers while offering a well-rounded program to local audiences that also includes national and international films that highlight artistic excellence and diversity. (Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center, 2022)

“The amazing response that CineFestival San Antonio got this year to our call for entries, receiving a record number of submissions from filmmakers from across the State and the US, local and international, is a testament to the privileged position San Antonio has as a cultural hub, bridging the cultures of South Texas and the state’s borderlands with the rest of Texas and beyond. This response means focusing the film festival in local and regional works while reflecting artistic excellence in Latinx and indigenous filmmaking is the right path for a festival with such an amazing history to continue in a relevant trajectory that is meaningful to both audiences and participating artists.” – CineFestival Programmer Eugenio del Bosque.

The 43rd annual CineFestival San Antonio will feature 24 screenings showcasing 12 feature films and 73 short films. The festival will open on July 6 with the San Antonio premiere of PEPE SERNA, LIFE IS ART (Dir. Luis Reyes, 2022), a joyous look at the life and work of groundbreaking Mexican-American character actor Pepe Serna, a native of Corpus Christi, Texas whose hundred-plus charismatic scene-stealing roles paved the way for generations of Chicanx actors in Hollywood and beyond. 

The closing night film will be the world premiere of ‘Cuerpo,” directed by San Antonio’s own Mark Zuñiga, an ambitious horror film set in 18th century San Antonio exploring the culture and clashes between the Spanish colonists and the indigenous people they are trying to convert; a recipient of the San Antonio Film Commission’s local filmmaker grant, “Cuerpo” is a passion project produced and shot in the San Antonio area with local cast, crew, and an original score. 

Other feature films include:  

  • World premiere of the comedy “An Awesome Action Movie,” directed by Luis Antonio Rodriguez and shot in McAllen, Texas, and starring veteran Mexican actor Hector Soberón;
  • Sundance acclaimed documentary “Mija” by Isabel Castro;
  • Mexico’s powerful documentary “Comala” by Gian Cassini, which has strong ties to San Antonio;
  • “A Run for More” by Ray Whitehouse, which follows Frankie Gonzales-Wolfe as the first trans woman to run for city council in her hometown of San Antonio, Texas;
  • SXSW laureate Iliana Sosa’s “What We Leave Behind,” a love letter to the El Paso native director’s grandfather and an intimate and insightful exploration of her own relationship with him and his homeland;
  • The social justice horror film “Madres” by Ryan Zaragoza, co-written by San Antonio native Marcella Ochoa who will be in attendance and will also offer a master class for registered filmmakers.
  • “Jockey” by Clint Bentley, featuring an award-winning performance by Mexican-American thespian Clifton Collin’s Jr., grandson of Aguilares, Texas native character actor Pedro Gonzalez Gonzalez, most famous for his humorous sidekick roles in 1950s and 1960s John Wayne westerns.
  • “Earth Mother,” directed by Austin’s Brandon Polanco and starring San Antonio’s Annette Mia Flores.
  • “Capitol Barbie” by New Mexico native Riley Del Rey is a TV pilot, and a new programming line for CineFestival. A political show about a translatina on Capitol Hill, “Capitol Barbie” deals with delicate and socially pertinent themes, raising questions and opening conversations around racism, homophobia, and transphobia in the work place. The screenplay is written by trans and indigenous filmmakers Riley Del Rey and Violet Martinez.

The Mezquite Awards will be bestowed in two main categories: Audience Awards for the public’s favorite feature film and Jury Awards for Best Texas Short Film. A panel of industry professionals will be part of this year’s festival jury, who will choose the jury award-winning documentary and narrative films from a collection of 14 short films made in Texas, including works from Austin, Buda, Denton, El Paso, Houston, Laredo, and San Antonio. 

The ever-popular San Antonio showcase will featuring eight short films made by local artists, including works made by Nathaniel Avila, Guillermina Zabala, Esmeralda Hernandez, Ái Vuong, Samuel Díaz Fernández, Lisa Salinas Sosa, Miguel Contreras IV, Raymond Ramos, and Violeta de León Dávila. 

43 CineFestival San Antonio will offer ten free screenings, including Family Day with the Texas premiere of “Ainbo, Spirit of the Amazon” by Richard Claus and Jose Zelada, a US-Peruvian animated feature in the spirit of “Moana” and “Frozen;” and Senior Cinema, featuring an exclusive reprise screening of the documentary “Pepe Serna: Life is Art” dedicated to San Antonio’s elderly film lovers.

Free screenings will also include short film showcases including the Texas short film showcase featuring works from Austin, Brownsville, Corpus Christi, Dallas, Greenville, El Paso; a selection of international short films from Mexico, Brazil, Cuba, Peru, Spain, and Venezuela; a collection of short films showcasing Latinx and indigenous talent from around the US; and the always eye-opening Youth Day screenings, featuring films made by artists 18 years old or younger which includes works made in San Antonio, the Rio Grande Valley, Dallas, Arizona, Connecticut, Peru, and Spain. 

All 43 CineFesitval San Antonio screenings will take place at the historic Guadalupe Theater, located at 1301 Guadalupe Street, San Antonio, TX 78207. Full festival schedule and tickets are available online. Individual tickets are $8 and festival passes are $40. The 43 CineFestival San Antonio is made possible thanks to the continuing support of the National Endowment for the Arts, the San Antonio Film Commission, the City of San Antonio Department of Arts and Culture, and the Ford Foundation. 

 

Photo: Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center, used with permission.

Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center announces Groupo Animo 2022 summer theater camp

Grupo Animo members Class of 2019: ‘Youth Nation Network.’ Photo: Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center, used with permission.

The Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center announces Grupo Animo 2022, a summer theater camp for students between the ages of 13 and 18 years old. This three-week theatrical camp is at no cost to students and will take place at the historic Guadalupe Theater, 1301 Guadalupe St, from July 5 to 22, 2022. Camp will take place Monday through Friday from 1p.m. to 5p.m. Its summer program will culminate with a student showcase created and performed by Grupo Animo company members on Saturday, July 23 at 7p.m. (Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center, 2022)  

Grupo Animo is the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center’s resident youth theater company consisting of youth (ages 13-18) members from all backgrounds and areas of San Antonio and beyond. Under the mentorship of professional teaching artists and directors, Grupo Animo’s company members are guided through a three-week summer theater experience, allowing youth a platform to make their voices heard through thought-provoking, engaging, and culturally relevant, performance-based Teatro.  

“It is critical, even more so now in light of recent events in Uvalde, that students are taught to use their natural talents to creatively express themselves, working cooperatively to share their thoughts and feelings about the world they live in. We strive to provide a safe space for our members to feel comfortable no matter what race, sex, economic background, or sexual orientation. Lastly, we understand that through Chicano, Latino, and Native American arts and culture, we can revolutionize how we imagine the world.”  – Jorge Piña, Guadalupe Theater Manager.

Founded in 1993, Grupo Animo’s mission is to use teatro/theatre to instill an understanding of the value of culture, creativity, and community. Grupo Animo’s goal at the end of the program is to have taught students basic history and practice of teatro/theatre, acting, teamwork, poetry, creative writing, movement, and videography.

The Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center’s Teatro Salon presents La Niña Girasol

The Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center proudly presents the Teatro Salon’s world premiere of La Niña Girasol (The Sunflower Girl) by J. Cesar Duenas. Photo: The Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center, used with permission.

The Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center proudly presents the Teatro Salon’s world premiere of La Niña Girasol (The Sunflower Girl) by J. Cesar Duenas, scheduled for June 22 – 25, 2022 at the historic Guadalupe Theater, 1301 Guadalupe St., San Antonio, TX 78207. Clint Taylor, who has over 25 years working with numerous theater companies in San Antonio and New York, will be directing this unique and imaginary children’s play. (Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center, 2022)

“Follow a brother & sister on a journey through their dreams to save their maternal line from being lost forever…. A magical tale of family, history, and the struggle to keep their roots alive,” this, according to playwright J. Cesar Duenas. Mr. Duenas is a local theatre actor and while La Niña Girasol is his first play, he has acted with VIVA 48hr Play, Teatro Audaz, Killer Productions, Overtime Theatre, and Jumpstart. He is a first-generation American and a US Army veteran who was born and raised in San Antonio. “I am so excited with this rare opportunity to have my first play produced and enjoyed by the community.”

Teatro Salon is a project of the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center that provides opportunities to developing new plays and is sponsored by City of San Antonio Department of Arts & Culture, Texas Commission on the Arts, Trinity University and National Performance Network.

Show times include two morning performances on Wednesday and Thursday June 22 and 23 at 11a.m. and two evening performances on Friday and Saturday June 24 and 25 at 7p.m.. Admission is $12 Adults, $6 Teens and Seniors and $2 Children (13yrs and under). All performances will take place at the historic Guadalupe Theater, 1301 Guadalupe St. San Antonio, TX 78207.

The Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center was founded in 1980 as a non-profit, multidisciplinary organization. Located in the heart of San Antonio’s westside, the Guadalupe is one of the largest community-based organizations in the United States. Its mission is to cultivate, promote, and preserve traditional and contemporary Chicano, Latino, and Native American arts and culture through multidisciplinary programming.

Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center presents ‘Interview With a Mexican!’

‘Interview With a Mexican!’ is scheduled for May 6 and 7 at the Guadalupe Theater. Photo: Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center, used with permission.

The Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center proudly presents ‘Interview With A Mexican!,’ scheduled for Friday and Saturday, May 6 and 7, 2022 at the historic Guadalupe Theater, 1301 Guadalupe St., San Antonio. The performance begins at 8p.m. with general admission tickets for $12. ‘Interview With A Mexican!’ is a touring production by Denver-based Su Teatro Cultural & Performing Arts Center.  (Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center, 2022)

‘Interview With A Mexican!’ is an original play by Su Teatro Executive Artistic Director and resident playwright Anthony J. Garcia. It was inspired by Gustavo Arellano’s column ‘Ask a Mexican’ using satire, humor, and political incorrectness to examine stereotypes, anti-immigration politics, and misconceptions outsiders hold about Mexican culture.

“We at Su Teatro are so excited to bring this explosive and humorous play to the Westside of San Antonio,” said Garcia. “The last time we performed at the Teatro Guadalupe was in the early 1990s,” he added. “Su Teatro’s work and contribution to theater is widely recognized,” said Guadalupe Theater Manager Jorge Piña. “I am very honored Su Teatro is returning to the Guadalupe stage.” 

The production is made possible with support from the City of San Antonio Department of Arts & Culture and the National Performance Network.

Su Teatro is one of the oldest Chicano theater companies in the United States and is currently celebrating their 50th anniversary. The company has established a national reputation for home-grown productions that speak to the history and experience of Chicanos. Garcia has created over forty original plays and adaptations. Su Teatro develops work focused on demystifying the Chicano identity and celebrating the experiences, history, language, and culture of Chicanos, Mexicanos, and Latinos throughout the Americas. They have performed throughout the country along with more than thirty theatrical seasons at their own cultural and performing arts center in Denver.