For those of you who didn’t know, the Hola Mexico Film Festival is distributing the film East Side Sushi across California September 18th, and depending on the success of the release, we may reach other cinemas across USA in the weeks that follow.
As a festival, we’ve often get contacted by cinemas all over the nation asking us for films to play for their hispanic customers. Unfortunately, a festival does not have the rights to distribute our playing films, and then again, distributing a film is a totally different activity than running a film festival. But as the largest mexican film festival outside of Mexico, and as a firm supporter of Mexican stories in film, we’ve been looking at the possibility to get into distribution. Making sure people can come see a story in a cinema on a date and time of their convenience.
Throughout the years, people have always asked us, when will a film make it to the theaters? Or why are not more Mexican films in cinemas?
Film distribution is hard, it’s expensive and there are many ways to go about it. There are plenty of articles that can describe the best way to distribute a film, but lets face it, distributing a Mexican film or a film with a strong Mexican theme is a whole different ball-game. In recent years, you have either Pantelion Films taking on big, popular commercial films such as Alamala, Instructions Not Included and more. And on the other side, you’ll find much smaller independent companies like Kino Lorber distributing Güeros. There are plenty of distribution companies, with all sizes and shapes. But it’s been a hard road for everyone trying to make it in the distribution side of business.
Every film has its own life cycle. Films go trough agents, film sale companies and distributors. It’s a messy world, but that’s how the industry works. Some films make it to festivals, others go straight to TV channels and some films, just don’t go anywhere… sad but true. And then there’s the difference between studio film, independent films and foreign films…. I guess I could write for hrs, so I’ll get back to the point.
For a film to make money in cinemas is truly hard, and that is one reason we don’t see more Mexican films in cinemas. The importance of a film performing well on the first weekend at the box office is everything for the future success of a film. If the film does well, then it will stay a following week and will probably be programmed in many other theaters across USA. If the film performs poorly, it will be taken down to make room for the a new release.
Considering the expenses of a new release on TV advertising, radio promotions, etc. It is very necessary that people talk about the film. Social Media is now the most important way to spread the word and to advertise a new release. So we’re counting on every single person that has heard of East Side Sushi not only to go to the cinema on opening weekend, but to tell everyone they know!
The Hola Mexico Film Festival is starting a new approach to film distribution, a way that hopes to change the game, and allow for more Mexican films to be in theaters in months and years to come.
East Side Sushi, not only won the DishLATINO audience award this 2015, but had everyone at the festival talking about it. The film follows Juana, a young immigrant mother who after being robbed at her fruit cart, decides to get a job in a sushi restaurant. Juana eventually attempts to become a sushi chef, but it unable to because she is deemed the “wrong” race and gender. Against all odds, she embarks on a journey of self-discovery, determined to not let anyone stop her from achieving her dream.
In this moment in history, when Latinos in USA have to work stronger than ever, and convince those who think that we’re “rapists and drug traffickers” that we’re much more than that, we believe that stories like this matter. We also think that women in film are being misrepresented, and this is story excels at bringing you a story trough the eyes of a female lead, fantastically played by Diana Elizabeth Torres.
We’re very proud to have partnered with Anthony Lucero, film director of East Side Sushi, to be able to bring you this moving story to a cinema near you. To celebrate the release of the film, the director and the cast, including Diana Elizaeth Torres and Yutaka Takuchi will be doing a series of Q & A at various cinemas:
Los Angeles, CA
Q & A with actors Diana Elizabeth Torres and Yutaka Takeuchi
Friday September 18th 7:30pm
Cinepolis Pico Rivera
Q & A with actors Diana Elizabeth Torres and Yutaka Takeuchi
Saturday September 19th at 7:00pm and 9:30pm
Laemmle Noho
Q & A with actor and director
Sunday September 20th 3:00pm and 5:30pm
AMC Atlantic Times Square 14
The Bay Area
Q & A with Director Anthony Lucero
Friday September 18th 7:30pm and 9:35pm
Grand Lake Theater
Q & A with Director Anthony Lucero
Saturday September 19th 5:00pm
Camera 12
Q & A with Director Anthony Lucero
Saturday September 19th 8:00pm
Kabuki Sundance
