It’s a great sign when small festivals expand into something larger as is the case with the Hola Mexico Festival. Beginning as a celebration of Mexican film in New York City in 2008, it is now a smorgasbord of cultural offerings in Los Angeles, showcasing a number of modern films Mexican film selections but will including two separate festivals for food and music. Sign! Us! Up!
The festival returns to L.A. for the fifth year in a row and will be held in various venues in downtown L.A. from May 15th to the 22nd. A few of the films scheduled to debut at the fest are Francisco Javier Padilla’s Suave Patria, immigration drama La Vida Precoz Y Breve de Sabina Rivas, biographical comedy El Fantástico Mundo de Juan Orol that tells the tale of Mexico’s “King Of B-Movies,” and the international premiere of Tlatelolco: Verano del 68, which combines drama, romance, and history on the screen.
The food festival will bring five Mexican chefs whose food will instantly make you forget about that gringo on PBS who thinks he’s Xipe Totec’s gift to Mexican cuisine. Bring your empty stomachs out for some fine dining with Aquiles Chávez of “El Toque De Aquiles” and “Aquilisimo” fame, Javier Plascencia who is Tijuana’s most famous new export next to the Xolos de Tijuana, Mexiquense maestro Pablo Salas, king of Oaxacan cuisine Rodolfo Castellanos, and, for all you chocolate lovers out there, José Ramón Castillo a.k.a. Mr. “Maximum Exponent of Mexican Cacao and Master Chocolatier.”
Finally, the music portion of the site includes screenings of music documentaries as well as some live music. Olalla Rubio’s Gimme The Power is a historical documentary of Mexico that parallels the rise of chilanga banda Molotov while Celso Piña, El Rebelde del Acordeón chronicles the life of world-famous accordionist Celso Piña.
Piña will help close out the festival with a live set at La Plaza De Cultura Y Artes.
Check out the festival’s official website for more info on showtimes, locations, etc.