Latino Hispanic Culture, Art and Film at Bullfighter’s Cafe

(Nancy and Jon Wilkman, Angel Aviles McClinton and Seidy Lopez, at the Don’t Knock The Rock Film Festival.)

Life is AWESOME isn’t it? On Thursday I had the chance to enjoy some of my favorite things. I got together with some old friends, met some new friends and watched a totally RAD film.

Chicano Rock! The Sounds of East Los Angeles, produced, written, directed and edited by Emmy Award-winning filmmaker Jon Wilkman, is a film that I think should be a mandatory part of every Los Angeles school curriculum. It’s visually beautiful and chock full of a history that as an artist, I felt ashamed not to know…I’m no musician…I mean I played the cello…(badly) for many years, but really a musician is an artist who is COMPELLED to make music. This film highlighted the stories of artists that had to overcome adversity just to discover their own musical and cultural identity.

The film is screening through out the country and has aired on PBS. You can request to have it aired again by contacting your local PBS affiliate

It’s no coincidence that Allison Anders wanted me and Seidy Lopez (Mousie) to be at this screening. The first draft of the Mi Vida Loca sequel is done and the musical influences are MAJOR! Master Of Ceremonies, Michael Des Barres announced the new script as the best she’s ever written…

Allison Anders’ DON’T KNOCK THE ROCK Film Festival happens every Thursday in July and August at the Silent Movie Theater on Fairfax (in Los Angeles)

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