On May 13, 2026, the 28th annual Cine Las Americas International Film Festival kicked off its event with a wonderful documentary about Chicano playwright and director Luis Valdez. Writer/director David Alvarado takes his audience through the story of Valdez, from his childhood as a migrant farm worker in Delano, California, to his emergence as a… Continue reading CLAIFF 2026: AMERICAN PACHUCO: THE LEGEND OF LUIS VALDEZ
Author: Mark Saldana
CLAIFF 2026: STREET SMART: LESSONS FROM A TV ICON
In 1969, Sesame Street hit the airwaves on PBS and forever changed children’s television programming. Known for its progressive approach to educating children, the show became well-known for promoting diversity, equality, and inclusion. This quality is clearly defined by its multicultural casting of human actors of various races, ethnicities, and cultures. Actor Sonia Manzano joined… Continue reading CLAIFF 2026: STREET SMART: LESSONS FROM A TV ICON
SXSW 2026: POWER BALLAD
Artistic creativity is a very fickle thing. Sometimes it flows so naturally from the heart and mind. Other times, it is a painful, arduous process guaranteed to frustrate and confound the artist. And with fame and success, the creative process often comes with greater pressures and challenges. These are the concepts and themes examined in… Continue reading SXSW 2026: POWER BALLAD
TUNER: A Fine-Tuned Crime Thriller
Filmmaker Daniel Roher, a director known for the documentaries Once Were Brothers: Robbie Robertson and the Band and The AI Doc: Or How I Became an Apocaloptimist, makes his feature film debut with Tuner, a taut, neo-noir drama with a lot of heart at its core. Roher, who co-wrote the screenplay with Robert Ramsey, doesn’t… Continue reading TUNER: A Fine-Tuned Crime Thriller
SXSW 2026: I LOVE BOOSTERS
The new film from absurdist and surrealist director Boots Riley kick-started the 2026 SXSW Film & TV Festival. As a fan of his feature debut, Sorry to Bother You, and after waiting eight years since its release,I was excited and happy to attend the premiere of I Love Boosters. As I watched Riley’s ridiculous, but… Continue reading SXSW 2026: I LOVE BOOSTERS
SXSW 2026: WISHFUL THINKING
Love and relationships can be quite complicated. Passion and romance can often cloud people’s best judgment and make them blind to the overall impact of their relationships. And it often takes something dramatic happening to help people realize that they are involved in a toxic relationship. Well, writer/director Graham Parkes has taken this idea to… Continue reading SXSW 2026: WISHFUL THINKING
SXSW 2026: THE MAN WITH THE BIG HAT
Another great entry in the 24 Beats Per Second Section, The Man with the Big Hat documentary tells the story of Texas Progressive Country artist, Steven Fromholz. Prior to watching this film, I had never heard of the singer-songwriter. The film did catch my interest, though, because I am a fan of outlaw country music… Continue reading SXSW 2026: THE MAN WITH THE BIG HAT
SXSW 2026: LOS LOBOS: NATIVE SONS
Every year, Austin’s SXSW Film & TV Festival premieres music documentaries and concert films under the 24 Beats Per Second Section, and every year, I make it a point to watch at least one entry. Selecting Los Lobos: Native Sons was definitely a no-brainer for me, as I have been a fan of their music… Continue reading SXSW 2026: LOS LOBOS: NATIVE SONS
IS GOD IS: Revenge Served Fiery Hot
In 2018, playwright Aleshea Harris’s ” Is God Is debuted Off-Broadway to some critical acclaim. It was only a matter of time before Hollywood would adapt it for the big screen. Fans of the stage play would have to wait eight years for that to happen, but the time has arrived: Harris is making her… Continue reading IS GOD IS: Revenge Served Fiery Hot
BILLIE EILISH – HIT ME HARD AND SOFT: THE TOUR (LIVE IN 3D)
If you wish to make a 3D film or movie, it may be best to hire the best filmmaker who loves working in the format. And that filmmaker is James Cameron. After amazing audiences with his visually incredible franchise, Avatar, Cameron has become the leading expert in making 3D movies. So it makes perfect sense… Continue reading BILLIE EILISH – HIT ME HARD AND SOFT: THE TOUR (LIVE IN 3D)