Los Cabos burst upon the cinematic circuit in 2012, with a flurry of red carpet galas and glamorous 
soirees featuring A-list movie stars. The arrival of the Los Cabos International Film Festival was good news for Baja California Sur based cinephiles, but hardly a novelty since the nearby pueblo magico of Todos Santos had been hosting its own celebration of motion pictures since 2004.
The most traditional and long-running local film festival returns tonight, March 1, with a celebration of Youth in Video – one of the festival’s more enduring programs – at La Morena restaurant in Todos Santos; an evening of special screenings at the historic Teatro-Cine General Manuel Marquez de Leon; and, in the state capital of La Paz, a documentary about Mexican revolutionary hero Pancho Villa, as well as awards honoring the director, Carlos Bolado, distinguished actor Damian Alcazar, and actor and native son Enoc Leaño.
The 14th annual edition of the Todos Santos Film Festival will conclude Sunday, March 5. In the interim, locals and visitors alike are invited to enjoy a slate of fine films representing the best of contemporary Mexican and Latin American cinema. Given its proximity to Los Cabos – Todos Santos is less than an hour by car from Cabo San Lucas – the festival is one of the region’s most popular cultural attractions.
El Festival de Cine Todos Santos, as it is known in Spanish, was originally founded by local resident Sylvia Perel. Born in Argentina, Perel took a degree in Art History and founded and directed The Latino Film Festival in San Francisco before settling in Baja California Sur in 2000. Her meticulously curated Todos Santos Film Festival has, from its inception, been dedicated to promoting cinematic culture in the region, and in recent years has increasingly established a presence in nearby Pescadero, as well as in La Paz. Screenings will once again be held in all three communities this year: at Casa Ejidal in Pescadero, and at Cinemex and other select locations in La Paz.
The primary showcase, however, remains the beautifully renovated Teatro-Cine General Manuel Marquez de Leon, a vintage theater which first opened in 1944 across from the plaza principal in Todos Santos. Named for a 19th century military leader and freedom fighter, the Marquez on the marquee was a native of the mining community of San Antonio, but resided for many years in Todos Santos. His name also graces the international airport in La Paz.
Although all screenings are in Spanish, gringos needn’t feel excluded. Each of the films screened at the 14th annual Todos Santos Film Festival will be accompanied by English subtitles. For a complete program of movie listings, or for information about tickets, visit www.todossantoscine.org.
Photo courtesy of the Todos Santos Film Festival.
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