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2011, 04-14:
Review of film: “CHICOGRANDE” = Report # 07 re FINAL Day of 27th LATINO FILM FESTIVAL
Report on the FINAL DAY
In my “OVERVIEW” Report # 01 on the Festival (posted at: http://voice-of-film.blogspot.com/2011/03/2011-03-27-report-01-on-latino-film.html ), I spoke of how this film was to be the Closing “MEXICAN Night” Special presentation of the Festival on 04-13-11... I myself was able to see the film on the 14th (the very last day of this year’s Fest)...
... As usual, one of my general “goals” is to try to give people a feeling of “BEING” there at the event I’m herewith describing...
... Putting on the 27th Festival was a large undertaking involving hard and dedicated work by a number of people...
... Every day, there was a busy “welcoming” desk on the 4th floor of the Landmark Century Centre theater, where people could buy various Passes, individual tickets for films, and merchandise (such as Festival T-shirts, posters, & a handsomely-produced Program catalog), gather literature about various films, etc...
... Staffer CAROL was very helpful in keeping records and arranging for screenings for Media people and various Guests (directors, producers, actors, etc.)... She’s shown in the photo below where she was instructing some Festival volunteers the day before...
... The “welcome” desk area is portrayed below in a photo I shot that final evening, of ROSA (who’s scheduled to be seen more “fully” in a planned review of the "LOVE IS ALL WE NEED" / “NÃO SE PODE VIVIR SEM AMOR” film), CAROLINA, director ALBI DE ABREU (director of the Venezuelan short film “COLMILLO” / “FANG” – a flyer about which he’s holding), and CAROL...
... The co-“managers” of the Century theaters for the Festival were JOHNNY (shown in the photo below) & DAVE (to be shown later in this Report), who (as did Volunteer / Theater Coordinator DEBORAH & some others) greeted the audiences, welcomed people (in English, Spanish & at times Portuguese), and introduced the special GUESTS at the Q&A events...
... Volunteers were especially helpful at the entrance of the various theaters utilized for the films. They passed out and collected ballots (as seen in the photo below), so the public could vote (as they have since 1993) for their FAVORITE movie at this year’s Festival...
... From all the ballots submitted, one person would then win 2 tickets from Fest Platinum sponsor American Airlines to any location they serve in the continental (48) U.S. states, Mexico or the Caribbean...
... As the Fest wound down, the volunteers also passed out some complimentary Program Books to attendees and answered questions asked, etc...
... At one point, I asked certain volunteers how they’d liked working at the Fest. Overall, they DID enjoy the work, tho, as one said, it had been somewhat “tiring” at times (from the long hours and all)...
... When I asked unpaid helper CARLOS (shown below) why he’d BECOME a volunteer, he said, he wanted to do it because he’s PART of the Latino community (which the Festival is celebrating)...
... He commented that he’d been able to completely see only one film there, “THE INVISIBLE EYE” / “MIRADA INVISIBLE” [from Argentine director Diego Lerman], which he’d found quite good (as had I when I’d seen it; I hope to have a Review of it later)...
... During various of my talks with people familiar with some PAST Festivals, I heard a conversation about the lineup of films. It was felt that, while there were a number of very GOOD movies shown this year, at least two people had the opinion that there were more “great” ones at LAST year’s Fest...
... I myself found most of the films I saw tended to be at least good to very good, with a number of EXCELLENT ones (particularly the documentaries, such as the impressive “VISA TO PARADISE” I saw early this evening, about a little-known Mexican diplomat who saved tens of thousands of lives of people in France in World War II)...
... I was pleased to hear that some of this year’s films (especially the “family-friendly” ones) would be shown during the SUMMER, during outdoor screenings in the park, + at the CERVANTES Institute, etc... It seems some will also be available for sale in DVD form...
... The very last film I saw at this year’s Fest was “CHICOGRANDE”. Staffer DAVE (pictured below, with DEBORAH on the right) questioned the audience about what countries they came from, how many films people had seen at this year’s fest, & worked hard to arrange suitable seats for the FULL-house audience in theater 7 (the largest one at the Century)...
... Once the auditorium was filled, he introduced the Festival Director (and Founder and Executive Director of the International Latino Cultural Center), PEPE VARGAS (as shown in the photo below)...
... Mr. Vargas said, he seldom speaks at these events, but he wanted to give a hearty THANKS to the people in the audience & the numerous staffers & volunteers who helped make this year a big SUCCESS...
... He commented that, he feels this year’s 27th Film Festival was the overall BEST one they’ve ever had-- but, he feels the 28th one next year will be even BETTER...
... Mr. Vargas said, please keep in mind there will be OTHER events the LATINO CULTURAL CENTER will put on during the year, including a DANCE Festival... He again THANKED everyone for their support & help, & wished us well...
(o_
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Movie “CHICOGRANDE”, directed by FELIPE CAZALS
This 100-minute movie hinges “around” the subject of José Doroteo Arango Arámbula -- also known as Francisco Villa or, the more commonly used PANCHO VILLA...
... Villa was a Mexican general (born in 1878) who strongly supported the Revolution of 1910 and the goal of redistributing land from the rich classes to the poor. He became governor of the large and rich northern border state of Chihuahua in 1913 & 1914...
... After numerous assassinations of Mexican leaders including President Francisco I. Madero (wonderfully covered in the documentary “THE STORM THAT SWEPT MEXICO”, which I plan on reviewing later), Victoriano Huerta commanded the main army of Mexico & tried to use it to gain control of the country...
... Villa much much disliked the way Huerta illegally took over the country, & especially at the way Huerta clearly didn’t care for the land reforms “promised” by the Revolution. Villa took special offense at the way Huerta was clearly backed by blatant interference from the U.S. ambassador to Mexico, Henry Lane Wilson...
... Villa joined with others to FIGHT against Huerta & his allies. Partly to express his “displeasure” over Wilson’s actions & the way he’d fostered a U.S. cut-off of arms to Villa’s forces, Villa attacked a Mexican train carrying American employees in January of 1916...
... Angry over American recognition of the Carranza regime he hated in Mexico, & enraged at being supplied with defective American bullets he’d purchased, Villa on March 9 that year traveled north from his base and attacked the town of Columbus, New Mexico [+ an attack on Glenn Spring, TX on May 15th & San Ygnacio, TX on June 15th]...
... The U.S. government responded by sending its General Pershing to try to CAPTURE or kill Villa, & that “Punitive Expedition” lasted from March 14, 1916 until February 7, 1917. The movie “CHICOGRANDE” concerns that military action...
... In the film, “Chicogrande” (played by DAMIÁN ALCÁZAR, pictured below) is a (fictional) military “right-hand man” to Villa (who’s played by ALEJANDRO CALVA)...
... In a “flashback” scene (which appears near the middle of the movie), Damian leads some of Villa’s forces across a river, seemingly escaping from their Columbus raid...
... The Mexican government “ALLOWED” the U.S. expedition, & some of its military men were sent to in-effect HELP the U.S. forces (in the form of the actor pictured below who is the lead Mexican army officer)...
... Villa was INJURED in one of the skirmishes with the Mexican forces, & holes up in a rugged area of the Towri mountains (pictured below), with instructions to Damian to try to find a doctor for his wounded leg...
... The main protagonist in the film is U.S. Army Major Butch Fenton (played by DANIEL MARTÍNEZ, below), who’s a brutal, vicious man with little but contempt for anyone Mexican...
... He keeps instructing his men to TORTURE a captured man with a whip, to try to force him to reveal WHERE Villa can be found... He’s so extreme in his action, the man dies...
... In the army is a “Médico Gringo” (doctor, played by JUAN MANUEL BERNAL, below), who’s very religious & HATES Daniel’s attitudes & actions (but, he has no “power” over him)...
... Daniel continues going around the countryside, trying to find someone who can provide the info he’s seeking about the whereabouts of Villa...
... He meets an American woman (seemingly named Janice, played by LISA OWEN, pictured below) who’d emigrated to Mexico with her now-deceased husband...
... He meets an American woman (seemingly named Janice, played by LISA OWEN, pictured below) who’d emigrated to Mexico with her now-deceased husband...
... He tries to intimidate HER into providing news about Villa, & later tries to bribe her worker to reveal such information...
... Scenes at times shift to Damián & his young assistant, Guánzaras (IVÁN RAFAEL GONZÁLEZ), and how they keep trying to secure a DOCTOR for Villa and keep the local peasants on “his” side...
... When people in the town don’t cooperate with DANIEL in his searches for Villa, he’s not adverse to hanging them for their lack of assistance to him...
... While some of the populace is on the side of the “main” Mexican government, most are on VILLA’S side or (like the local doctor shown below) simply won’t HELP the “gringos”...
... The U.S. & Mexican military people keep riding around the area (as illustrated below), but keep having great trouble in finding out WHO is working on Villa’s behalf...
... One of the “surprises” of the local residents group is an elderly food-seller woman, La Sandoval (PATRICIA REYES SPÍNDOLA, as seen below), who secretly transfers MESSAGES on Villa’s behalf...
.. As time goes on, with help by Apache scouts guiding the U.S. forces (below), Daniel is able to CAPTURE Damián, & drags him thru the streets to try to intimidate people such as Patricia...
... Typically, Damián is then TORTURED to try to get the information wanted about the location of Villa...
... And, in time, Iván is also brought in & flogged to try to get him to give up Villa to the U.S.... But, tho injured, Damián is able to ESCAPE by using Juan to “cover” his getting away (as pictured below)...
... Will Daniel & his soldiers be able to FIND Damián?... What will HAPPEN to him & the soldiers’ pursuit of VILLA?...
... This is a very well-shot & -acted film, with all kinds of “GRITTY” scenes and memorable characters...
... I was a bit disappointed by the to-me somewhat-“ABRUPT” & vague ending of the film... But, all things considered, because of the numerous first-rate elements in it, I’m rating it at 8.0 out of 10 stars...
... By the way: as an historical “aside”, Villa was NEVER captured by the U.S. Expeditionary forces. He was assassinated 6 years later on July 20, 1923 in Parral, Chihuahua, seemingly by men hired by some political opponents trying to rule Mexico. There were the usual “cover-ups” & “pardons” given by those in “power” to those accused...
... This screening did not have the in-person appearance or Q&A by the Director FELIPE CAZALS and star DAMIÁN ALCÁZAR (as happened the nite before at the Special celebration when Damián was given the Festival’s “GLORIA” Lifetime Achievement award)...
... But, I’m herewith enclosing a photo I shot on April 12th of DAMIÁN (on the far right) when talking to him & Director JOSE LUIS RUGELES (in the middle) as they prepared to depart after their Q&A for the film “GARCIA” (which I plan to Report on in the future)...
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(o_
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