by the El Reportero’s news services

Chulas Fronteras (Beautiful Borders) is a zesty introduction to the music and culture of the Texas-Mexican border. From joyous, lively dance tunes to soulful, political work songs, musica Norteña (Tejano/Conjunto) fuses traditional Mexican harmonies and central European dancehall rhythms.

The film celebrates the famed Mexican-American musicians of the borderlands, the migrant farming communities from which they come, the strong family bonds of Tejanos, and the social protest ethos inscribed in their music. Marvelous music, and the generosity of spirit they show in the face of hardship. Featuring Flaco Jiménez, Lydia Mendoza, Los Alegres de Terán, Narcisco Martínez, Santiago Jiménez and many more.

Featuring: Flaco Jiménez, Lydia Mendoza, Los Alegres de Terán, Narciso Martínez, Santiago Jiménez, Rumel Fuentes, Don Santiago Jiménez, Los Pingüinos del Norte, Ramiro Cavazos and more!

Del Mero Corazón is a lyrical journey through the heart of Chicano culture as reflected in the love songs of the Tex-Mex Norteña music tradition. Featuring Little Joe & La Familia, Leo Garza, Chavela & Brown Express, Andrés Berlanga, Ricardo Mejîa, Conjunto Tamaulîpas.

More than 40 years later, these milestone films continue to resonate as spirited depictions of the porous nature of the border and the vibrant culture that springs from this region.

Featuring: Little Joe & La Familia, Leo Garza & His Conjunto, Chavela & Brown Express, Andrés Berlanga, Ricardo Mejía, Conjunto Tamaulípas.

Both 1976 films, which are the work of intensive restoration to 4k, will be screened in September in Northern California.

Presentations: September 25 at 7:00 p.m., Rialto Cinemas Cerrito in El Cerrito, September 26 at 6:45 p.m. Roxie Theater in San Francisco. Opens on September 27 at 7:00 p.m. (one week). Rialto Cinemas Elmwood in Berkeley, September 28 at 4:15 pm, Christopher B. Smith Rafael Film Center in San Rafael, September 29 at 1:00 pm, Rialto Cinemas Sevastopol, September at 1:00 pm, September 29 at 7:00 pm, Theater of the parade in Chico,

Deported migrants featured in new interactive border wall art in Tijuana

A barcode on each of the four murals allows access to the story behind each person

The border wall that cuts off Tijuana’s beach from its American counterpart was transformed last Friday into a canvas that tells the stories of deported migrants.

The interactive art installation at Playas de Tijuana by Lizbeth De la Cruz Santana consists of portraits of four deported migrants, spanning the height of a section of the border fence along Tijuana’s beach.

Visitors who hold their cellphones up to a QR barcode affixed to one of the murals can access audio on the project’s website narrating each migrant’s story.

The subjects are a United States veteran, two mothers who were forced to leave behind their U.S.-born children and a man who was deported just months before he would have qualified for DACA — the 2012 program designed to shield from deportation people who were brought to the U.S. when they were young.

De la Cruz Santana, 28, herself the child of a Mexican migrant, said that each of those depicted in the installation is someone she knows, and that she felt compelled to share their stories to bring awareness to the dangers and hardships faced by migrants during their journey north and during deportation.

She added that she hopes the project, which is part of her doctoral dissertation and funded through a grant provided by the Mellon Public Scholars Fellowship, could help raise money to provide legal assistance for deported migrants.

“Technology is one of the best ways and venues for people to tell their stories.”

Mauro Carrera, a muralist and partner with De la Cruz Santana on the project, said he hopes the project shows “the people behind the politics.”

De la Cruz said that while mounting the installation she was struck by the stark contrast between the bustle and liveliness of beachgoers, restaurants, bars and a bullring on the Mexican side of the border fence, and the nervous quiet of parked Border Patrol vehicles on the U.S. side.

“If you look past this wall on the U.S. side, there’s nothing. I wanted to erase the border.”

by El Reportero’s news services

The Zapata Vive (Zapata Lives) exhibition saw its 2nd day on Sunday Aug. 4 in the National Stamp Museum, which exhibits works by over 60 artists.

Also known as the hundred faces of the Southern Leader, the exhibition is based on traditional and current print techniques that pay homage to the 100th anniversary of the death, and 140th anniversary of the birth of Mexican revolutionary Emiliano Zapata. The Zapata Vive exhibition presents works that stress his influence on art through contemporary graphics.

‘A review is offered on what has happened in the artwork depicting Zapata. What this exhibition we seek to investigate how he is kept alive today in prints,’ highlighted curator Yunuen Sariego.

She explained that the pieces presented are made expressely by young artists, in dialogue with artists of the first and second half of the 20th century.

Sariego mentioned that the exhibition looks at how Zapata reappears in the urban space and wider space as an icon that represents other struggles, without dying because he is kept alive in the memory of the people.

The curator said that Zapata is seen in posters, collages, and three-dimensional objects decorated with print techniques. ‘This trend is related to a concept that is widely used in graphic arts, such as expanded graphics, which is related to other disciplines, and breaks seemingly established molds.’

This event exhibits popular traditional print works alongside contemporary work. ‘The exhibition dialogues with painting, installation, sculpture and digital art. It makes us see that young artists are currently making prints using vivid graphics,’ she explained.

Adriana González won first place in Operalia 2019, of Plácido Domingo, in Prague

Adriana González won first place in the two Operalia 2019 categories! Her talent stood out among the finalists of the international competition that was organized by Plácido Domingo in Prague, Czech Republic. What pride, congratulations!

The Guatemalan soprano won the first female prize in the zarzuela category and in the opera category, where she competed with sopranos, tenors and baritones from various countries. Operalia 2019 was held on Friday, July 26, 2019 at the National Theater in Prague, Czech Republic.

Before the competition took place, Adriana shared in her personal Facebook account: “Tonight is the final of Operalia. I feel so honest and absolutely crazy about this experience, thank you for all the support of each of you. Everyone gives me strength with their good energy, kind words and abundant support. Thank you!”. (Guatemala.com).

Los Tigres at Folsom Prison 

The full import of Los Tigres del Norte’s upcoming documentary Los Tigres del Norte at Folson Prison (available on Netflix Sept. 15) can be appreciated in the first single and video, La prisión de Folsom, a Spanish-language norteño version of Johnny Cash’s country classic “Folsom Prison Blues.”

Filmed in 2018, exactly 50 years after Cash’s landmark concert at the infamous California prison, it’s the opener to the only concert the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitations authorized to film and record at Folsom for the anniversary. (Source: Billboard).

by the El Reportero’s news services

Terminator: Dark Fate”, Colombian actress Natalia Reyes opens up about how training for her role was “tons of work” both physically and emotionally. Plus, the actress explains how the movie reflects what is happening today in our society.

Natalia Reyes is a Colombian Method actress known for her stunning starring role in Sony’s hit series Lady, La Vendedora de Rosas for Latin America (2015 most seen series in Colombia and Netflix Latam), also for her work on Cumbia Ninja (2013).

She was born in Bogotá, where she started acting when she was only 9 years old and after participating in numerous national TV shows, series and films moved to New York in 2011 where she graduated from The Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute.

Mexican American Gabriel Luna has been spotted on the set of Terminator 6. The Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. actor, best known for inhabiting a version of Ghost Rider on the Marvel series, is playing a new Terminator in the upcoming reboot/sequel. This batch of set photos is the first we’ve seen of him since filming began. Luna looks more or less like himself and not so much like a deadly futuristic robot, but he was caught playing an acoustic guitar on set. Though, that’s probably not making it into the movie.

Diego Boneta is a Mexican American actor, and singer. He will play Miguel Ramos.

Boneta’s role isn’t clear as details are being kept deep in the Cyberdyne vault, but he is said to be playing a human in the reboot that last week saw its release date move from July 26, 2019, to Nov. 22, 2019.

He made his feature debut in the all-star Tom Cruise musical Rock of Ages. He currently stars in The Titan, a sci-fi thriller with Sam Worthington that just hit Netflix, and next toplines Luis Miguel, Netflix’s Spanish-language biopic series that tells of the story of one of the biggest singers from Latin America and is set to debut April 23.

Leave the children at home, Terminator: Dark Fate will have an R rating, which requires that children under 17 be accompanied by a tutor in the United States.

Premios Juventud 2019: The 6 Best Performances

Anuel AA and Farruko perform on stage during Premios Juventud 2019 at Watsco Center on July 18, 2019 in Coral Gables, Fla.

The 16th annual Premios Juventud gala was celebrated on Thursday (July 18), and Latin stars took over the stage, leaving their soul in every live performance.

Artists like Romeo Santos, Farruko, Maluma and Karol G performed, along with the new generation of singers like Angela Aguilar, Guaynaa, Lunay and Tini.

The 16th edition of Premios Juventud celebrated music, pop culture, digital media, fashion, TV and social media during a four-hour live show that included performances supporting the new generation of urban music such as Guaynaa, Lunay and Sech.

The highlight of the night definitely was Daddy Yankee’s speech, dedicated to his homeland’s crisis.

“I claim the governor to hand over his position in a peaceful, reasonable and diplomatic manner,” he said. “Even though I travel the world, my final destination is always my home, Puerto Rico.”

Maluma and Jesse & Joy were the first artists to receive the “Agente de Cambio,” honoring their humanitarian work. Two young Latinos, Alondra Toledo and Carlos Osuna, were also honored with the trophy for their leadership and positive contributions to the community.

The singer-songwriter and dancer Argentina, Emilia, shined in the event. On the night of the Awards the young woman dazzled during her presentation to present the musical collaboration between Pedro Capo, Farruko and Lali “Calma”. She recently released her single Recaclienta.

The name of the Oaxaca actress, star of Roma, will live on for a long time

by the El Reportero’s news services

After a year of non-stop accolades and media attention, the cultural impact of Alfonso Cuarón’s award-winning film Roma is also being felt in a more permanent way: in Mexico state this year, a total of 46 girls have been named after Yalitza Aparicio, the actress who plays the movie’s protagonist.

The state government registered a surge in newborns christened Yalitza starting in February, the month in which the actress was nominated for an Academy Award. In March alone, 13 baby girls were given the name Yalitza by parents in the state.

Regina Cayetano Narciso of Loma Vicente Guerrero in Jiquipilco said she chose the name Yalitza because of her admiration for the actress, whom she hoped would serve as an example for her daughter.

“I liked [the name] a lot; my parents helped me choose it. I hope that [my daughter] is exactly like the actress, that she is humble like her and that she helps others like her, and above all, that she finishes school and that she puts God first.”

María de los Ángeles Dávila Sánchez, director of the Civil Registry of Jiquipilco, said the phenomenon was a positive one.

“This is the name of a very famous person who has made us look terrific as Mexicans, and we hope that [Regina Cayetano’s] little girl is as famous and as wonderful a person as [the actress],” Dávila said.

Chimalhuacán was the municipality with the greatest number of Yalitzas, followed by Valle de Chalco, Tenancingo, Nezahualcóyotl, Coatepec Harinas and Villa Victoria.

Source: El Universal (sp)

Foreign affairs secretary laments narco TV series’ portrayal of Mexico

Improving the image will be one of the goals of a new tourism promotion body

Foreign Affairs Secretary Marcelo Ebrard bemoaned yesterday that narco-related television series are portraying a negative image of Mexico abroad.

“Today the image of Mexico that is seen in almost the whole world is from narco series or similar [shows],” Ebrard told attendees at the launch of a new tourism promotion body.

“I tell you this because prime ministers, high-ranking officials and representatives from the whole world have spoken to me about it and that [image] doesn’t do us justice,” he said.

Several television series based on the true stories of Mexican drug cartels have been made in recent years including Narcos México and El Chapo, both of which screen on the Netflix streaming service and have been popular with international audiences.

The foreign affairs secretary said that officials in his department and the Secretariat of Tourism as well as members of the newly-created Tourism Diplomacy Council need to work together to develop a strategy to better promote the positive aspects of Mexico.

“The ambition we have is to change the image and to lift Mexico’s standing but to do it we have to reach an agreement and think of a diplomacy [strategy] in all fields. We’re going to have to do a lot [of work] on social media and also on [television] series. Mexico has to promote other scripts . . .” Ebrard said.

The secretary said that the tourism council will ultimately be responsible for approving a new plan to promote Mexico abroad.

The council is made up of 28 members, most of whom are tourism sector representatives and business people. The secretariats of Foreign Affairs and Tourism will work closely with the new body, whose members must meet within 60 days to set its organizational structure and agenda.

Source: Reforma (sp), Notimex (sp) Milenio (sp) 

State funds support community building and learning through youth-focused arts and culture projects

by the El Reportero’s news services

The California Arts Council announced on June 5 a grant award of $16,200 to Community Music Center (CMC) as part of its Youth Arts Action program.

With support from the California Arts Council, Community Music Center will continue offering the Mission District Young Musicians Program (MDYMP) free of charge to 25 primarily Latino youth ages 11 – 18, in partnership with the San Francisco Unified School District.

The program is delivered bilingually, and is designed to engage and empower students through the music of Latin American countries, using curriculum, learning goals, and outcomes aligned with California Visual and Performing Arts standards.

Gloria Gervitz wins Iberoamerican Poetry Award Pablo Neruda 2019

Mexican poet Gloria Gervitz won the Ibero-American Poetry Prize Pablo Neruda 2019 in Chile this Tuesday, an award that has established itself as a benchmark among Ibero-American literary recognitions.

Created in 2004 by the National Council of Culture and the Arts, this recognition has the sponsorship of the Pablo Neruda Foundation and is given to an author with a recognized career in the world of Ibero-American poetry.

The information was delivered in the Espacio Estravagario, in the Chilean capital, by the Minister of Culture, Arts and Heritage, Consuelo Valdés.

The jury that awarded the prize was composed of writers and academics Manuel Silva Acevedo (Chile), Mauricio Redolés (Chile), María Negroni (Argentina), Miguel Ildefonso (Peru) and Ernesto Carrión (Ecuador).

Gervitz, born in Mexico on March 29, 1943, is a descendant of Ukrainian Jews, who currently lives in the United States. (Fuernte: El Universal).

Oaxacan composer wins contest in Europe

Eduardo Aguilar obtained the third place in the contest called by Ensemble Impronta, from Germany

With a piece inspired by the Mixtec song, oaxaqueño musician Eduardo Ángel Aguilar won third place in the first edition of the Ensemble Composition Competition Impronta. The contest was convened by the musical ensemble Impronta, in collaboration with the Impronta musical label and the organization She Lives, of Germany.

The piece, created by the graduate of the Faculty of Music of the National Autonomous University of Mexico was one of the 148 enrolled in the contest, which in its first call obtained the participation of authors from 26 countries. The site won by Aguilar was also obtained in a draw with Andrea Mattevi (Italy). The work is expected to be released in a month in Budapest.

Aguilar points out that for this piece he is inspired by a phrase from the Mixtec Song, “a Oaxacan piece that premiered in 1918 and that in its lyrics portrays an aspect of migration”. Although he did not take any fragment of the subject, he used part of the lyrics (a phrase) to title his piece, “specifically the phrase that I consider the most sad,” he says.

Mexico hosts Int’l Cultures Fair at Bosque de Chapultepec

About 1,600 artists from 80 countries will exhibit their art at the Bosque de Chapultepec (Chapultepec Forest), Mexico, at the International Friendly Cultures Fair (FICA) from May 31 to June 16, hosters announced on Tuesday.

This 11th edition will be held in the corridor between the Quinta Colorada House of Culture and Los Pinos Cultural Complex, former seat of government converted in a cultural place by the government of Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador.

José Alfonso Suárez del Real y Aguilera, Secretary of Culture of Mexico City, said that the administration wants to express through FICA that ‘we are a sanctuary city and we are hospitable.’

He said that the spirit of twinning the friendly cultures in a new headquarters has correspondence with resignifying the Bosque de Chapultepec as a space where the facilities of power are transformed for the free exercise of the cultural rights of the citizenship, as it was endorsed in two historical events that have marked the life of the city and the country itself.

More than 100 groups from more than 80 countries will participate in the Cultural Artistic Forum with dance shows, concerts and culture performances.