After a year of virtual showcases, directors, actors and other artists return to the red carpet at LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes for the Hola Mexico Film Festival. Still complying with COVID-19 protocols, a big screen sits in front of over 100 viewers outside, with temperature and vaccine checks at the entrance.
The film festival is back in person this year and is presenting a variety of films over the course of nine days — including thrillers, comedies, and dramas — by Latinx filmmakers. Opening night took place on Sept. 17 at the Mexican American museum, as will closing night on Sept. 25. The rest of the festival is taking place at the Regal theater in downtown Los Angeles.
Samuel Douek, the founder and director of the festival explained the process of organizing the in-person event after the virtual format last year.
“I had to come here and meet with sponsors and meet the vendors and make sure everything was COVID compliant and that we’re all ready to make an appearance at a festival and that we’re ready to welcome our guests and the audience,” he said.
Douek also shared that when selecting the films for the festival, his team tried to spotlight a variety of genres for audiences whether it be horror, comedy, drama, or a documentary.
“We see what’s in Sundance, what’s in Berlin, what’s in Cannes, what does well at the box office in Mexico,” Douek said. “So it really is a representation of the best things that are coming out of Mexico.”
The film festival kicked off with a screening of Jorge Michel Grau’s film, “Perdida,” but the movie catalogue doesn’t stop there — the festival is presenting a total of over 20 different film projects.
Another thriller screening at the festival dives into the potential consequences of finding love online. Pablo Olmos Arrayeles wrote and directed “Rendez Vous” in 2019 in Mexico. Shot in one take and taking three weeks to rehearse before filming, Arrayales found the whole process both complex and moving.
“I think everything was hard, but at the same time it was very inspirational, just to know that in one day we made a movie,” Arrayales said. “When I cut, the first thing I told [everyone] was ‘we got a movie.’”
On opening night, the filmmaker mentioned his excitement to be at the festival and for him and other directors to share their stories. Arrayales advises those who are interested in directing to make short films and save money, as there are times when funding for a film will come from the creator’s own pocket.
Another important part of the festival is the work from participants of Tomorrow’s Filmmakers Today, a program that connects and supports filmmakers from the Los Angeles area.
One of the twenty participants, Rommel Villa, is a USC graduate and currently teaches at the School of Cinematic Arts. Villa is promoting his thesis film, “Teddy Mate,” which he created using grant funds. He uses magical realism to tell the story of two girls falling in love despite living in a world full of heteronormative standards.
“At the end of the day, we don’t choose how we want to be born..., but we have the decision to pursue the love that we want,” Villa said. “I hope that people will see this as an uplifting story that will hopefully educate them to respect people’s decisions when it comes to love.”
Villa mentioned how he hoped viewers would see that there is no prejudice when it comes to love, and that the special connection goes beyond physical appearance.
Another film being showcased, “Animales Humanos,” is a psychological thriller by Lex Ortega full of revenge and animosity. The story, filmed in Mexico this past year, makes the audience question the amount of violence a human can inflict in comparison to an animal.
One of the lead actors of the film, Adriana Louvier, spoke on the importance of Latinx representation in the film industry. She mentioned that there is no exact solution at the moment for bringing more Latinx faces on screen, film creatives can still take a stand through their work.
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“We actors are always in some way dependent on the decisions of the industry and a studio,” she said in Spanish. “But I think this is the perfect moment to become producers of our own projects or provoke them somehow.”
Louvier also believes that the entertainment industry has the power to change the narrative for Latinx characters audiences are given.
“I think we are in a time where content is needed and I think it is time to take advantage of that and create projects where we construct the people that we want,” Louvier said.
The Hola Mexico Film Festival will be ending this Saturday back at the museum. Tickets and more information can be found at holamexicoff.com.
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