In 2017, Gilbert Trejo and Mariana Da Silva waited in line at the Vista Theater for a screening of the 1982 cult sci-fi film “Liquid Sky.”
They had seen each other before, but never met. Both avid moviegoers throughout the Los Angeles area, it wasn’t uncommon for one of them to be waiting in line to get a 35mm screening of an old film, a newly restored print of a cult favorite, or a Q&A with the filmmaker.
That night, they finally talked about the movies they had recently seen, their respective jobs in the film industry, and a common complaint: Los Angeles boasts a population that is nearly 50% Latino and Hispanic, but there was a severe lack of Latino and Latino-language films and Latinas available to watch in the city.
“I go to Revival Hub [a website to find specialty film screenings], and it’s like I can go see a Wong Kar-Wai movie today. I could see a Jean-Luc Godard movie yesterday. I can go see an Ingmar Bergman movie in two days. But there’s just nothing in Spanish,” Trejo said.
When the two friends thought about the stereotypical Los Angeles cinephile—think the mubi tote-carrying, mailbox-hopping American cinematographer or vidiot—they often found that these people could name directors and films from all over the world but stumbled when they came to Latin America. At best, they could mention director Pedro Almodóvar, whose films are in Spanish, but in Spanish from Spain, not Latin America.
Trejo, a Mexican American director born and raised in Los Angeles, and Da Silva, a Mexican-Brazilian actor and filmmaker who immigrated to the States from Brazil, wanted to change that.
Soon, the two were to work on a non-profit organization dedicated to showing Spanish-language and/or Latino-made films. They chose to call it “El Cine,” which simply means “the movies.”
In January 2018, they hosted their first event at the Vista Theater: a screening of the 1994 film “Mi Vida Loca,” which was filmed in Echo Park. They also held a handprint ceremony — à la the Hollywood Walk of Fame — for Trejo’s father, iconic actor Danny Trejo, who grew up in Echo Park and appeared in the original film. It was a meaningful honor for his family.
“I watched the industry try to close ranks and keep my dad from being a part of it. He just kept showing up. He didn’t stop. He was undeniable at a certain point,” Trejo said.
The event sold out, Da Silva said. “It was mind-blowing because we were just like, ‘Throw your money here and see what happens.’ Then I remember Gilbert was like, ‘Hey, Shepard Fairey is here.’ I was like, ‘What?'”
Mariana Da Silva and Gilbert Trejo, photographed at the Los Feliz 3 Theater in Los Angeles.
(David Butov/by de los)
Now in its seventh year, El Cine has hosted dozens of screenings and community events—including partnerships with the Los Angeles Public Library and the UCLA Archives, a series on Roberto Gavaldón with the Academy Museum, and collaborations with Mexican archivists like Permanencia Foluntia to bring little-known films to LA-based audiences.
Daudzi no El Cine pasākumiem notiek Heavy Manner bibliotēkā, mākslas telpa Echo parkā un Filozofisko pētījumu biedrība, multikulturāla mākslas bezpeļņas organizācija Los Feliz. El Cine rīko ikmēneša īsfilmu demonstrēšanu ar nosaukumu “$ Horty”, kas demonstrē melno un brūno filmu veidotāju darbu Losandželosā. Organizācija gatavojas arī ikgadējai Helovīna programmēšanai, iespējams, El Cine gada visvairāk aizņemtākajam laikam. (“Mūsu kopiena mīl žanru un nometni,” sacīja Da Silva.)
Trejo un Da Silva ir svarīgi dažādot El Cine piedāvājumus, pievilcoties ikdienas filmu skatītājiem, kā arī nišas filmu cienītājiem, piemēram, viņiem pašiem. Viņu programmēšana izceļ mazpazīstamās starptautiskās filmas, pagātnes un pašreizējās bloķētāji un filmas, kuras veidojuši vietējā LA kopiena. El Cine seansi rāda angļu valodas subtitrus par spāņu valodas filmām, kā arī apgriezti. Tas ir paredzēts daudzu paaudžu auditorijai, kas pulcējas uz tā notikumiem, kur vecāki un vecvecāki var nerunāt angliski, vai arī pirmās paaudzes bērni var nerunāt spāņu valodā.
“Manam tētim skolā bija izspiests no viņa spāņu valodas, un viņš labi nēsāja šo kaunu viņa pieaugušā vecumā. Viņam bija 40 gadi, kad es piedzimu, un viņš joprojām bija tik nobijies, ka pret mani izturēsies tā, kā viņš bija, kad viņš bija bērns, ka viņš man lika nemācīt man spāņu valodu,” sacīja Trejo, kurš vēlāk dzīvē iemācījās spāņu valodu.
“Viss, ko es daru, ir divvalodu. Es domāju, ka divvalodība ir valoda, par kuru mēs šeit runājam,” sacīja Da Silva. “Es arī domāju, ka tas ir kaut kas tik ilgi apkaunots, bet tas bija apkaunots tā spēka dēļ. Būdams starptautisks, daudzvalodu un multikulturāls, mums ir tik daudz varas.”
Pieejamība ir El Cine programmēšanas pamatā. Iepazīstinot ar filmas demonstrēšanā, Da Silva koncentrējas uz to, lai pārliecinātos, ka viņa neizolē auditoriju, izmantojot “iekšpuses beisbola” filmu skolu vai nozares valodu. Viņa uzskata, ka iemesls tam, ka spāņu valodas un latīņu filmas nav tik izplatītas nozares sarunās, ir dziļi sakņojas latīņu vēstures izglītības trūkums-pat tikpat daudzveidīgā Losandželosā, kas ved visu ceļu līdz filmu skolai. Pat ja latīņu filmu veidotāji savā koledžas mācību programmā saņem vairāk spīduma, tie var būt nepieejami ģimenēm ar zemākiem ienākumiem un pirmās paaudzes koledžas studentiem, kuri veido daļu no El Cine auditorijas.
Da Silva feels particularly close to this cause. As a once undocumented immigrant, she was unable to attend film school due to her immigration status. For years in her early 20s, instead of film school, Da Silva hunkered down in Atlanta, watching as many films as she could to educate herself.
Outside of film screenings, El Cine hosts educational events aimed at the next generation of Latino filmmakers. Think DIY film school. “There’s this perception that we’re the hands of the film industry, not the minds,” Trejo said.
El Cine events, which are affordable (usually around $20), focus on topics like how to safely document an arrest and how to shorten the horror. There are also workshops on directing music videos and body movement classes for performers. “I hope that every time you leave [El Cine] an event you not only feel like you can make a film, but you also feel like you learned something about yourself,” Da Silva said.
Da Silva is now working on El Cine full-time, hoping to grow the brand and host more events, secure major partnerships, and raise money through private donors and grants to keep it all running. The organization has a well-rounded lineup of programming coming out this fall, as well as a new podcast that you can follow on Instagram and in the area.
Attend an upcoming El Cine event
- September Area Time : “Music Video Workshop” by Gilbert Trejo at Heavy Manners. Admission is $12.
- October at Area 10 : “Genre Community Night” at Heavy Manners, featuring short films by local filmmakers. Submissions open for September at Area 15.
- October 18th Local : “How to Write a Horror Short Film” with Latinxexorcist at the LA Public Library (Malabar Branch) from 3:30 pm to 5:00 pm Admission is free.
