Movies with Valley actors now in theaters
Two Valley actors who left their homesteads in search of their Hollywood dreams are returning home this week to present to their latest movie projects in a battle of box office lightweights.
In one corner there is Veronica Loren, a McAllen native who is bringing the Independent Spirit Award winner August Evening to Cinemark Hollywood USA theater in her hometown starting tomorrow night. Loren will be joined at the 6 p.m. showing by director Chris Eska and lead actor Pedro Castaneda.
- READ MORE ABOUT VERONICA LOREN.
- READ MORE ABOUT AUGUST EVENING.
In the other corner, Raul Castillo, also of McAllen. The McAllen High School graduate will be on hand for the premier of his film Amexicano, which made its big debut in 2007 at the Tribeca Film Festival. The film will screen at Carmike in Edinburg starting today as well.
- READ MORE ABOUT AMEXICANO.
Two premieres. Same day. Both films are distributed by Maya Entertainment, which has built its name in the industry by targeting Latino audiences, and the themes deal with culture and family. The similarities are glaring, but they tell two distinct tales, Castillo said. And in the end it's not about which film attracts more audiences, he said, it's that they attract audiences in general.
"There's no reason both can't be a success," he said. "It's more important to support the stories that are being told."
But the rest lies in the hands of the people, he said. The future of his movie in many ways depends on its performance in the Valley. If it does well, it could earn a Los Angeles premiere, which the movie's makers have been gunning for. Never before, he said, has the region had so much influence.
"That's a fairly new thing," he said. "It's important and it's saying something to the rest of the country. We have the power now."
Both movies will run for at least one week with multiple screenings per day. For times and tickets visit www.cinemark.com or www.carmike.com.
