By Tarmo Hannula, The Pajaronian
March 1, 2023
WATSONVILLE—The 11th Annual Watsonville Film Festival rolls out the red carpet March 3-12.
Co-Founder and Director Consuelo Alba said the festival will have screenings at the Mello Center and the Watsonville Public Library as well as online viewing opportunities.
“This year’s Festival presents an exciting line-up of films about ordinary people overcoming great obstacles to do the extraordinary,” Alba said. “The main themes are art and music, as well as honoring heroes and ‘sheroes.’”
Organizers are rejoicing in the ability to have in-person meetings and showings once again following the pandemic.
“We are excited to be back in-person, to walk the red carpet and watch films on the big screen together and to have live conversations with filmmakers while also being able to reach a wider audience with some of the festival’s films online,” Alba said. “We are proud of the ripple effect the WFF has in and on the community, like our collaboration with Pajaro Valley Arts to present a retrospective of renowned Chicano artist Juan Fuentes as well as celebrating Santa Cruz-based Senderos through film. We are also incredibly proud to present the work of local emerging filmmakers and award-winning directors such as Rodrigo Reyes, and Carlos Perez Osorio who won an Ariel (Mexican Oscar) last year.”
Alba added that there are no other similar festivals between San Francisco and Los Angeles that continues to focus on “shining a light” on the contributions of often overlooked Latino stories.
WFF and the Pajaro Valley Unified School District will co-present the classic film “Under the Moon” about a family separated by immigration, and have a discussion with the film’s screenwriter, Ligiah Villalobos, about making it in Hollywood.
“We will also showcase films by local emerging directors such as Eugenia Rentería, Gabriel J. Medina and Megan Martinez Goltz, as well as up-and-coming youth filmmakers from Digital NEST and local schools,” Alba said. “We partner with arts organizations, community groups, schools and individuals to make the Festival a rich experience for everyone who attends.”
Other highlights include the following world premieres of local shorts:
• “Strawberry Picker,” a short film documenting the life of Juan Fuentes, renowned Chicano artist who grew up in Watsonville. Fuentes is a chief creator of images of Watsonville Brillante, the massive mosaic murals sprawled across the parking structure on Rodriguez Street. The Festival will co-host the opening of his retrospective “RESILIENCE: Works of Strength and Dignity” at the Porter Building on March 5.
• “Stories of Culture: Oaxaca in Santa Cruz County” was filmed during the Covid-19 pandemic. Elder members of the indigenous group Senderos share how their food, medicine and music are tools for healing their communities.
• “Living in Exile: Carlos Mejía Godoy” by filmmaker Jon Silver. Forced into exile and now living in California, Carlos Mejía Godoy is a legendary musician and poet.
• “Sansón & Me” is an award-winning documentary about an unusual friendship that grows out of a young immigrant who gets caught up in the criminal justice system.
• “Los Tigres del Norte” tells the story of the Norteño band that came to San Jose with nothing in the 1960s and rose to sell more than 60 million records, winning six Grammys and 12 Latin Grammys along the way. Co-presented by the Mexican Consulate of San José.
“Pepe Serna will receive a hero’s welcome at the Watsonville Film Festival where the celebrated actor will present his latest films, ‘Abuelo and Life is Art,’” Alba said.
Serna’s acting career spans more than 50 years, 100 films and 300 TV shows. He played Al Pacino’s partner in “Scarface,” a lowrider in Steve Martin’s hit comedy, “The Jerk,” and was cast with Edward James Olmos in “American Me.” Serna received the prestigious Screen Actors Guild Heritage Achievement Award for his many character roles.
Serna will be joined by the film’s director, Luis Reyes, author of “Viva Hollywood” on March 3 at 7pm at the Mello Center.
Alba said the Festival continues to have a call for volunteers.
“We need photographers and videographers, ushers and general support; the volunteers are the heart of the Festival,” she said.
To sign up, visit bit.ly/VolunteerSignUpWFF.
For information on the Watsonville Film Festival, visit watsonvillefilmfest.org.
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Watsonville Film Festival schedule
• March 3, Mello Center
Opening Night
Honoring actor Pepe Serna in-person
Life is Art + Abuelo
Film starts 7pm | Doors open 6:30pm
• March 4, Mello Center
Para Familias
Under the Same Moon | La misma luna
Screenwriter Ligiah Villalobos in person, plus PVUSD Superintendent Michelle Rodriguez
Film starts 1pm | Doors open 12:30pm
• March 4, Mello Center
Shorts: Shifting the Paradigm
Premiere of Eternidad & Influenced
Plus Bad Hombrewood, Here to Stay, Farm to School
Filmmakers in attendance
Introducing 2023 Cine Se Puede Fellows
Film starts 4pm | Doors open 3:30pm
• March 4, Mello Center
Shorts: Arte y Cultura
Premiere: Historias de Cultura (Oaxaca en Santa Cruz) and Strawberry Picker
Filmmakers and artist Juan Fuentes in-person
Film starts 7pm | Doors open 6:30pm
• March 5, PV Arts Porter Building
Art opening: Resilience: Works of Strength and Dignity
Juan Fuentes Retrospective
Reception and mural walk with artists Juan Fuentes and Kathleen Crocetti, 1-3pm
• March 8, Watsonville Public Library
Women’s International Day
Matronas: The Struggle to Protect Birth in El Salvador; filmmakers in attendance
Co-presented by Campesina Womb Justice
Program starts at 6pm.
• March 9, Watsonville Public Library
Golden Era of Mexican Cinema
El Rey del Barrio with German Valdes “Tintan”
Co-presented by Mexican Consulate, San Jose
Program starts at 6pm
• March 10, Watsonville Public Library
Shorts: Perseverance
Elefan, Colors in Harmony, U.S. vs Beltran, Fertile Land, Chicago Story: Resettlement
Filmmakers in attendance
Co-presented by Reel Works Labor Film Festival
Program starts at 6pm
• March 11, Mello Center
Regional premiere: Sanson & Me
Director Rodrigo Reyes in person
Co-presented by Reel Work Labor Film Festival
Film starts 1pm | Doors open 12:30pm
• March 11, Mello Center
Jazz on Film: Santos: Skin to Skin
With filmmakers Kathryn Golden and Ashley James
Co-presented by Kuumbwa Jazz
Film starts 4pm | Doors open 3:30pm
• March 11, Mello Center
Los Tigres Del Norte: Historias que contar
Director Carlos Perez Osorio in person
Co-presented by UCSC and Mexican Consulate
Film starts 7pm | Doors open at 6:30pm
• March 12, Palenke Arts (Seaside)
Shorts: El Poder del Arte
Strawberry Picker and To Mend the Heart (Remover el Corazon)
Filmmaker in attendance
Films and reception 6-8pm
More films online March 5-12 at watsonvillefilmfest.org