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'La Recua' featured at the San Diego Latino Film Festival

The documentary reenacts the history of the mule pack train in Baja California Sur, Mexico.

BAJA CALIFORNIA SUR, Mexico — The San Diego Latino Film Festival kicked off its 29th annual showcase with 200 films, food, art and music. It's a chance to get a closer look into films that are sometimes told by Latinos while also featuring Latino actors and actresses.

Following a two year hiatus, the film festival is finally in-person instead of virtual. Now movie-goers, directors and producers are all excited to be back together inside movie theaters.

After being virtual for the past two years, movie enthusiasts were at the Westfield Mission Valley enjoying the first week of the Latino film festival. 

“It's beyond exciting, there’s nothing better than watching a movie at a movie theater, in front of a big screen, with an audience,” said Moises Esparza, who is the exhibitions manager for the Latino Film Festival.

With the event being back in-person, the festival will feature Latino businesses, art and music.   

Twenty-nine-years ago the festival was created because many Latino filmmakers believed there was a disregard for Latino films. Feeling underrepresented, the festival decided to challenge the status quo of cinema and announced a festival highlighting Latino filmmakers.

“It's all about championing Latinx stories, Latinx filmmakers, Latinx stories, Latinx perspectives in a very authentic way,” said Esparza

Latino films are being screened in four different auditoriums at the Westfield AMC in Mission Valley. 

One of those films being, “La Recua” told by 70-year-old Darío Higuera Meza, a traditional saddle maker who travels 20 days by mule and herding a pack of train donkeys in Baja California.

“No script, we knew that Dario wanted to tell the story behind the merchant mule pack trains of 80 to a 100 years ago on the peninsula,” said Trudi Angell, who is one the producers and co-directors for the documentary.

She adds that traveling by mule has always been a part of the culture of small villages in Mexico. This is because of the rugged mountain country, locals have no other choice but to travel by mules. However, as technology continues to evolve, these traditions are dwindling, which is why this film focuses on how Meza fears old tradition will eventually be forgotten and lost forever. 

“It has to do with the education of his grandson and the education of how ranching is changing on the peninsula, and I am so thrilled to be sharing that with everyone,” said Angell.

Just like films like “La Recua,” hundreds of other films will be featured to celebrate the hard work Latino filmmakers have put into these movies. 

Through March 20, films will be featured at the AMC theater, you can also purchase festival passes here.

WATCH RELATED: National City Latina chefs featured in documentary, presented at SD Latino Film Festival (March 2022).

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