Vicissitude at The Plaza Classic

            This past weekend went by in an instant as I hung out with family and friends back home in El Paso, TX/Juarez, Mexico, but more importantly, presented Vicissitude at the El Paso Plaza Classic Film Festival as part of their “Local Flavor” selection.

            The screening took place at the Museum of Art in downtown El Paso. It was nice to check out some of the very impressive pieces of art they had on display. A good number of people showed up to the El Paso Energy Auditorium at the museum to watch the documentary; it was nice to see so much support from close family and friends, some cast members, Kickstarter donors, as well as strangers (some who are now friends).

            Optimum Exposure TV, a start-up video and photography company, came out to photograph the event and do a short interview for their website and YouTube channel.

Interview in English

Interview in Spanish

            Sunday I had the opportunity to meet a few students who traveled from different cities of the United States to attend the festival. I was approached by my friend Oscar Garza, who is a writer for TheProspector and a Plaza Classic Film Club Facilitator, to talk to them about the process of making the documentary, some of the challenges, and many other things. He then invited me to watch The Third Man (1949) on beautiful 35mm at the Kendle Kidd Performance Hall. It would’ve been a sin to leave El Paso without catching a classic flick at the festival.

            It was a great weekend and the lack of sleep was totally worth it. Being home this past weekend for both business and pleasure made me realize I am blessed to have many individuals around me who support and love me, but push me to be the best I can be. Oprah once said, “Surround yourself with only people that are going to lift you higher.” I try to stand by those words on a consistent basis.

Ricardo Ramos Copyright 2013

El Paso Plaza Classic Film Festival

            Hello everyone, I hope you had a great week. For those of you who didn’t know, I am thrilled to announce that Vicissitude will be part of the “Local Flavor” line-up at the El Paso Plaza Classic Film Festival on August 3^rd.

            Vicissitude is a documentary that portrays a personal side of several victims of the drug-related violence in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. People saw it on the news or read about it in the paper for a long time, but they never got to see what these people went through on a deeper level. Whether someone was carjacked, had to shut down a business, or experienced a death in the family, the documentary also gives focus to the history and facts behind the drug war that sparked in 2008. However, it ends on a positive note by covering the actions that are taking place by groups of people and organizations to uplift the city and its people. If you’re interested in reading more about the production process of the documentary, click here to check out a blogpost I wrote a while back.

            The Plaza Classic was created in 2008 and will run from August 1^st to the 11^th in downtown El Paso, Texas. "One of the goals of Local Flavor, and of the festival as a whole, is to bring people downtown," says Carlos Corral, the festival's local film coordinator, on an article from Newspaper Tree.

             The festival includes a wide line-up of classic films such as West Side Story, Goodfellas, The Sound of Music, among others. It also features panels with specials guests, including Academy Award winning actress Rita Moreno, art exhibits, concerts, and screenings of feature length films and shorts made by local filmmakers.

            Vicissitude will be screened along with the short films Art by Gabriel Lira, Mas De Uno by Jonathan Herrera, and Noventa by Bryan Thompson at the El Paso Museum of Art on August 3^rd at 1:00 p.m. There will be a Q&A session after the film and I’ll have copies of the documentary on DVD for anyone who’s interested in taking one home. I’m looking forward to seeing some of cast members and Kickstarter donors, as well as family, friends, and film enthusiasts. See you there!

Ricardo Ramos Copyright 2013