By Reynaldo Mena
Juan Escobedo has experienced the same challenges as many aspiring persons trying to make it in Hollywood, and he now approaches it with a touch of irony. “A long time ago, I went to an audition for a beer commercial, and they told me I was fat. I was surprised; I weighed about 150 pounds and considered myself slim,” says this Los Angeles-based artist, founder, and director of the East LA Film Festival.
Juan Escobedo-Hollywood can be very harsh for those who dream of having a small place in that environment.
“On another occasion, I went to an audition at Disney, and while waiting, I sat on a chair. A woman walked in and shouted at me, ‘Who told you to sit down!’ I stood up immediately. Later, I went to CBS for another audition and found the same woman in the elevator. I thought, ‘I’m done, I won’t get the part.’ To my surprise, I got it,” says Juan Escobedo.
The East LA Film Festival will begin on October 25th with a program dedicated to “Queer Cinema Experience,” featuring a lineup focused on LGBT cinema, and will continue on October 28th.
“Cinema is a reflection of what happens in the world; a good filmmaker will leave you thinking after you finish watching the movie,” he adds.
For Escobedo, festivals like this give many filmmakers the opportunity to showcase their work. The problem, according to him, is that everyone dreams of Hollywood. He has experienced this in various places around the world; when people realize he lives in Los Angeles and is a photographer and filmmaker, they immediately want to show him their work.
“Ninety percent of the world wants to be in Hollywood. They don’t realize that Hollywood is a fantasy, that this dream can be present anywhere in the world; you just have to do it. At the festival, I receive works from Iran, Israel, and many other countries. But since it is focused on East L.A., many of those works cannot be presented, good cinema, unfortunately,” he adds.
This year, he received around 1500 submissions, so he had to make a very rigorous selection. For Juan Escobedo, the world of cinema is changing. With movements like Me Too and Black Lives Matter, some doors have opened to diversify the experience. “This year, there are many films about gangs, very good movies, also celebrating plus-size women, there are some very good stories,” he says.
This highlights one of the pieces of advice this filmmaker has for the new generations. “You have to have something to say. You have to have a vision. With new technology, you can easily put together a film, but the challenge lies in that vision you have. If it doesn’t exist, it’s better to leave things alone,” he mentions.
For Juan, the cinematic experience is collective. Perhaps the screenwriter wrote a very dry script, but then the director, the cinematographer, the producer come in, and that experience is enriched. That script changes, acquires a different tone. “Some people have talent but no technique; others have technique but no talent. It’s very hard to find a filmmaker who has both. Robert Rodriguez is one of them, Guillermo del Toro, fabulous. But there aren’t many,” he adds.
This year, with the support of Councilman Kevin de León, the Eastmont Community Center, and others who contributed funds, the program will be a bit different for its 15th anniversary. “It will be our second Quinceañera,” he says with a laugh. “Last year, I made a mistake and said we were celebrating our 15 years. This year will be the real celebration.”
For this special occasion, the festival will offer a cultural program featuring Oaxacan culture. Thanks to a portion of the funds they secured, they were able to prepare a truly authentic event. “This year, there are films with great talent. I recommend ‘El Campo,’ ‘Así es la vida,’ ‘Suspect Entertainment,’ and ‘Quixote,’ among others. You can’t miss them,” he says.
Juan Escobedo: “If art doesn’t have an impact on society, it doesn’t make sense.”
For more information: https://telasofa.org/
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