Thirty years ago, Hollywood Pictures quietly released the film Blood In Blood Out, directed by Academy Award-winning director Taylor Hackford, as an ode to the Chicano barrio in 1993. The making of this cult film, loved by fans worldwide, is the topic of a new book by the same name, Blood In Blood Out, commemorating the film’s 30th anniversary with a book launch at Cal State LA University in Los Angeles. The all-day event will culminate with a screening of the film, and Enrique Castillo’s character, Montana, often described as the conscience of the film, will live to see another day on screen.
 

 
Carlos Aguilar wrote in an LA Times article earlier this year, “Akin to ‘The Godfather’ in its scope and themes, Blood In Blood Out, which turned 30 this year, stumbled at the box office but was saved from obscurity by fervent Latino audiences, who reclaimed it as a cornerstone of their representation in cinema.”
 
In the ensuing thirty years since its release, the film has only grown in popularity, amassing millions of fans nationally and internationally. The fans, who have grown up watching it on DVD or online, and passing on the tradition to their kids, have kept the film very much alive for thirty years. Blood In Blood Out has become a cult film akin to The Rocky Horror Show in that fans memorize the words to the film and recite their favorite character’s lines.
 
“The enduring legacy of Blood In Blood Out is a tribute to everyone involved in making it happen,” said Castillo.  “I consider myself fortunate to have been a part of it.”
 
Members of the all-star cast will be in attendance to celebrate the book launch and attend the screening, which will be the first time since the film’s release it has been shown on a big screen. Over 15 original cast members, including Benjamin Bratt, Jesse Borrego, Danny Trejo, and Castillo, will be in attendance at the festivities.  Tickets for the screening sold out within 24 hours.
 
Castillo’s role in Blood In Blood Out has not only etched a permanent mark in the realm of classic L.A. cinema but also garnered him a devoted following both in the US and as far as Holland and Nigeria. His portrayal of Montana is often likened to iconic characters in cinematic history, showcasing the depths and nuances of the Chicano experience. In Vincent Canby’s review of the film in The New York Times, he exalts some of the characters in the film, particularly Castillo’s performance of Montana.
 
The release of this book will now serve as a testament to the film’s lasting legacy. The screening will serve as the film’s premiere which it never had due to Hollywood Pictures scaling back on the release in 1993 due the climate of civic unrest at the time. 
 
The limited-edition book is published by Hat & Beard Press and co-authored by Academy Award-winning director Taylor Hackford (Ray, The Devil’s Advocate), screenwriter Jimmy Santiago Baca, on-set photographer Merrick Morton, and the late Chicano artist Adan Hernandez.  It chronicles their deeply personal journey to bring Blood In Blood Out to the screen. It features a foreword by groundbreaking Chicano writer/director Luis Valdez (La Bamba, Zoot Suit) and includes insights from Hackford, Baca’s powerful new poems inspired by the film, and a wealth of behind-the-scenes content. The presence of Castillo at the event adds a layer of authenticity and connection to the film’s legacy, especially for those inspired by his portrayal of Montana.
 
This anniversary event, alongside the book release, serves not only as a celebration of a film that resonated strongly with Latino audiences but also as a homage to actors like Enrique Castillo, whose performances have left an indelible impact on viewers and the cinematic landscape. The overwhelming response to the event, with 2,000 tickets claimed within 24 hours, reflects the enduring influence of Blood In Blood Out and the actors who brought its story to life.
 

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It’s not just a movie. Blood In, Blood Out is a way of being. I should know. I’ve seen the 1993 movie, and it’s changed my being forever. And I’m not alone.

As the proud member, and a “top contributor,” of Facebook fan groups solely devoted to the 30-year-old film, I know first-hand how BIBO (that’s short for Blood In, Blood Out) is top of mind for over 90,000 of us on the social media platform (and beyond, of course).

Throwing around a “porkchop” reference or a “vatos locos forever” salutation is a way of life. It’s the essence of who we are. And so many of us loco strangers from around the world wouldn’t have this bond if it wasn’t for a movie about Chicano gang life in America’s prison system. Seriously.

Blood In, Blood Out is a way of being

“This movie made me want to move to East LA right now,” Comedian Josh Pray announced in a social media post with over 8.5M views. Like many of us, he admitted to never being the same after watching the “cult” classic in his over 3-minute viral clip. “Blood In, Blood Out should be in the National Movie History Hall of Fame, yo.”

“It has become so much larger, obviously, than the original concept.” Enrique Castillo, the actor who played Onda gang leader, Montana, told me in a recent interview. Castillo’s a really big deal for us BIBO fans, who see him as the heart and soul of the gritty film.

Where are my manners? Allow me to formally introduce the epic film to those not familiar with this masterpiece. Blood In, Blood Out is a crime drama directed by Taylor Hackford, and written by Poet (and former convict) Jimmy Santiago Baca and Jeremy Iacone. The movie follows the lives of three Mexican-American cousins — Miklo, Paco, and Cruz — as they navigate the world of gangs in East Los Angeles. There’s more. So much more.

The film spans several decades, exploring the struggles and choices faced by the three cousins. To prove how accurate and authentic it is, Blood In, Blood Out primarily takes place and is filmed in East Los Angeles and at San Quentin State Prison, with real prisoners on the set. When one of the cousins, Miklo, joins a powerful prison gang called La Onda, his life (and ours) are never the same.

“I knew that the Mexican American community was really going to embrace this film,” Castillo told me. (And, yes, as a Blood In, Blood Out fan, interviewing gang leader Montana about the film was amazing, and intimidating since Castillo’s voice is Montana’s. The two are eerily similar in other ways, I discovered, in real life.)

Filming at the prison “was grueling, disturbing, and draining” Montana, I mean, Castillo, told me. But I can attest that watching the prison scenes was equally as nerve-wracking for the viewers as well.

But there’s so much more to Blood In, Blood Out than witnessing gang life in prison. Yeah, it provides a gritty portrayal of gang culture and the impact it has on individuals and their communities. But it also carefully delves into themes of loyalty, family, identity, and the consequences of one’s choices.

So, what causes so many of us to bond over a 30-year-old film about “Chicanoism” in East Los Angeles? Quite simply: it’s relatable. Yeah, La Onda and life in San Quentin State Prison and the streets of East Los Angeles is oddly something a lot of us can identify with. Or maybe it’s the family part we’re attracted to.

“If you break it down, it’s all about familia,” Proud BIBO Film Historian (and Castillo’s wife of 42 years) Bel Hernandez explains, “This is a story about us.”

The test of time has proven that the story is a family classic, being passed down from parents to their children – no matter how non-PG the film may be – giving it a three-decade lifespan. “The fans do not know it as a cult classic. They consider it a classic,” Hernandez told me. “And children watch it with their parents….it’s almost become a right of passage.”

As for the actors, many will always be associated with the film, which became a launching pad for many of them. “It’s the project that I’m most identified with,” Castillo explained.

Some see the film as the Latino equivalent of the classic The Outsiders for its contribution to so many acting careers. Blood In, Blood Out served as a launch pad to further the careers of many actors, including Damian Chapa, Jesse Borrego, Danny Trejo, Benjamin Bratt, Billy Bob Thornton, Lupe Ontiveros, Raymond Cruz – who all starred in the classic.

Today, Castillo said he and the other actors are still spotted by the loyal fans. Luckily, to the delight of all of us, they still sign autographs and attend events celebrating the film. One recent event was held at East Los Tacos, a restaurant named and decorated by its owners, Erika and Joaquin Armenta, as an homage to the 1993 film. “BIBO is a staple to East Los Angeles. They go hand in hand.” Erika Armenta explained. “When you think of East Los Angeles, Blood In, Blood Out comes to mind.”

But the movie, like its protagonists, wasn’t given a fair shot from the get-go, the film’s historian explained. Executives at Hollywood Pictures, a division of The Walt Disney Studios were afraid that the film Blood In, Blood Out – named after the code meaning a gang member must kill to get in a gang and die to leave the gang – would cause more violence upon its release. “They were afraid there was going to be trouble,” Hernandez said. “Because the LA riots had just happened.”

After the debut of the 1992 film American Me, a drama also about East Los Angeles gangs and starring James Edward Olmos – in addition to the devastating 1992 Los Angeles riots (stemming from the beating of Rodney King), Blood In, Blood Out received what some believe was unfair scrutiny at the time.

To fix any potential problems, the film was renamed Bound by Honor and given a limited distribution. Then it was quietly pushed aside by the film’s parent company Disney, some believe. Then, with word of mouth and eventually social media, a surge of fans over a 30-year span has spread the BIBO word.

And now it can be found everywhere: TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, restaurants, film festivals, fan events, online t-shirt storefronts, and beyond. Not just an LA thing, thousands worldwide have been boasting its significance from Los Angeles to Tokyo to Amsterdam, helping the film gather up awards along the way.

What does the future hold for Blood In, Blood Out? Castillo seems to know, explaining: “It will be discovered and rediscovered….it has stood the test of time and will only grow in popularity.”

And a bright future for the film can only mean one thing for fans everywhere: Vatos locos forever!

Cathy’s writing has appeared in The Washington Post Magazine, USA Weekend, People, Romper.com, The Miami New Times, and dozens of other media publications and online sites. Her opinion pieces have appeared on Today.com, El Tiempo Latino, and more.

(Vatos locos forever!)

This article was originally published on Nuestrostories.com.

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San Antonio’s original Latinx film festival returns on Tuesday, July 11 through Sunday, July 16, 2023, at the historic Guadalupe Theater with a greater-than-ever Texas filmmaker presence. Featuring 114 films, including 38 films from San Antonio and 40 films from the Lone Star State, the 44th CineFestival San Antonio continues to support local and regional filmmakers while offering a well-rounded program to local audiences that also includes national and international films that highlight artistic excellence and diversity.?

“We never know how many films will be submitted each year, but with a total of 312 entries this year, the amount of work being done by local and regional Latinx, and indigenous filmmakers is staggering,” said CineFestival Programmer Eugenio del Bosque. “Of course, the work varies in quality, and many of these films are short films, yet it is very encouraging to see young and veteran filmmakers in San Antonio and Texas are hard at work. We look forward to being a part of bringing an audience to these films and helping some of these voices mature, now and in the years to come.”

The Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center will add an extra day to the 44th CineFestival San Antonio to accommodate the high volume of submissions. This year, the festival will feature 31 screenings showcasing 15 feature films and 99 short films.

“The festival continues to grow in popularity and in fact, this is the second time in the past three years, that we extended the festival to another day. We wanted to make sure we were able to showcase as many local and regional artists whose unique voices need to be heard,” said del Bosque.

The festival will open on Tuesday, July 11 with a special 30th-anniversary screening of Blood In, Blood Out, directed by Taylor Hackford. This event will be hosted by Jesse Borrego, San Antonio’s own stage and film actor, and CineFestival artistic advisor. The screening will be free and open to the public and will be a unique opportunity to revisit this seminal work of the Chicano film cannon based on the true-life experiences of screenwriter Jimmy Santiago Baca and starring Borrego, Damian Chapa, Benjamin Bratt, Enrique Castillo, and Valente Rodriguez, among many others.

“CineFestival is an important vehicle to showcase the Latino narrative. It offers the community a unique chance to see authentic Latino stories being told, from Latinx filmmakers, whose work may not easily be found at the movie theater,” said Borrego. “When you feature a free screening of a movie like Blood In, Blood Out in the heart of the Westside, it’s hard to not miss the cultural significance of it being featured by the Guadalupe’s CineFestival,” he added.

The festival will close with the San Antonio premiere of the documentary Going Varsity in Mariachi, directed by Alejandra Vasquez and Sam Osborn, which focuses on Edinburg North High School’s acclaimed Mariachi Oro in South Texas, as they rebuild their twenty-member varsity group and work on a shoestring budget to compete in the state championships and the winner of the Jonathan Oppenheim Editing Award at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival.

Other feature films include:

El Equipo (Dir. Bernardo Ruiz, 2023, USA) – In 1984, an unlikely meeting between Texas native Dr. Clyde Snow, a legendary American forensic scientist, and a group of Argentine students who ultimately change the course of forensic science and human rights forever.

Gift (Dir. Alex Oviedo, 2022, Texas) – A young Esper must come to terms with his past and save the future for both him and a young woman.

Home Is Somewhere Else (Dir. Carlos Hagerman, Jorge Villalobos, 2022, Mexico) – An acclaimed Mexican animated documentary, it opens an intimate window to the hearts and minds of young undocumented Dreamers in the US.

Hummingbirds (Dir. Silvia Del Carmen Castaños, Estefanía “Beba” Contreras, 2023, Texas) – A lyrical, intimate, and uplifting look at the lives of the two young directors in Laredo, Texas as they navigate the immigration process in a politically divided America. The film won the Grand Prix of the Generation 14 plus the International Jury at the Berlin International Film Festival.

Martínez (Dir. Lorena Padilla, 2023, Mexico) – Another acclaimed Mexican film from newcomer Lorena Padilla who spent three years teaching film at SMU in North Texas. Martinez, a lonely accountant who prizes his daily monotony, must realize that his life is still ahead of him when he is pushed into retirement.

Moe (Dir. José Luis Valenzuela, 2023, USA) – Based on the award-winning play Dementia, Moises is having a going away party because he’s dying of AIDS, but his plans go awry when unexpected characters from his past show up, all the while his alter ego, a torch singing drag queen, wants to take him for “the ride of his life.”

Nelly Queen: The Life and Times of Jose Sarria (Dir. Joe Castel, 2022, USA) – A triumphant story of the human spirit, a hero’s journey of a man fighting unjust laws and uniting a fractured community. This is co-produced by Chicano actor Danny de la Paz. In 1961, Jose Sarria was the first openly gay man to run for public office in the US, and he ran in heels. When San Francisco city officials vowed to shut down all the gay bars in 1961, the 38-year-old female impersonator threw caution to the wind and campaigned for a seat on the board of supervisors.

On Guard: A Story of American Youth (Dir. Allen Otto, 2023, Texas) – Directed by San Antonio native Allen Otto and set in El Paso, Texas, this energetic documentary follows an all-girl team of high school students connected by their passion for the unheralded, all-American sport of color guard, as they compete in the wake of tragedy, navigate the universal trials and tribulations of adolescence and come of age in an era, unlike anything America has experienced before.

Seahorse (Dir. Rommel J. Eclarinal, 2022, Texas) – Emily is a young mother and heroin addict, struggling to maintain a relationship with her daughter and a grip on reality.

The Secret Sabbath (Dir. Daniel Goldberg, 2022) – A documentary in which individuals in Mexico and the United States converge towards the often-shunned junction, where Hispanic and Jewish cultures intersect, as they disentangle the fibers of deeply hidden family secrets handed down by generations past.

Summoning the Spirit (Dir. Jon Erich Garcia, 2023, USA) – A horror film directed by a native Texas director, Summoning the Spirit follows a young couple as they decide to escape the hustle of the big city, purchasing a home in the remote forest. The couple quickly realizes that they are on the land of a cult, and its leader claims a telepathic connection to a legendary flesh-eating beast deep in the woods surrounding them

Three local feature films are also part of Vistas de San Antonio:

Conjunto Blues (Dir. Joel Celestino Settles, 2020, San Antonio) – Local feature film Conjunto Blues is a stage play that was adapted for the screen in collaboration with Teatro Vivo and The Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center. The show explores social and historical conditions that led to the development of Conjunto music as an expression of cultural resistance and liberation. Written and performed by Nicolás Valdéz.

Heart of Glory (Dir. Jorge Lopez Ramirez, 2022, San Antonio) – Local feature film “Heart of Glory” trails the legacy of Ramirez’ father, local San Antonio boxer Jimmy “The Kid” Sanchez who endures life’s daily struggles while training to fight his way to the top in the boxing world.

Sacred Mask (Dir. David F. Mendez, 2023, San Antonio) –?This local feature film is the story of a young man, Jesse, who comes from a luchador family. He forsakes the family name and mask, and instead tries to follow his own dreams until one day a dark and mysterious shadow brings him back into the fold by hurting everyone close to him to get what he wants.

The 44 CineFestival San Antonio will offer 13 free screenings, including Family Day on Saturday, July 15 with a morning block presenting a selection of youth films made by artists, 19 years of age or younger, followed by On Guard: A Story of American Youth (Dir. Allen Otto, 2023, Texas) and Home Is Somewhere Else (Dir. Carlos Hagerman, Jorge Villalobos, 2022, Mexico).

Free screenings will also include Senior Cinema, on Thursday, July 13 at noon featuring Conjunto Blues (Dir. Joel Celestino Settles, 2020, San Antonio) dedicated to San Antonio’s elderly film and music community. Beginning on Wednesday, July 12, “Cine en el Barrio” presents four screenings featuring a selection of international short films from Argentina, Mexico, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, Peru, Spain, and Venezuela; and a collection of short films showcasing Latinx and indigenous talent from around the US.

Three Texas short film showcases include a total of 17 short films from artists working in Austin, Brownsville, Corpus Christi, Dallas, Edinburg, Kyle, El Paso, Pflugerville, and Weslaco among other Texas locations. ??

All 44th CineFestival San Antonio screenings will take place at the historic Guadalupe Theater, located at 1301 Guadalupe Street, San Antonio, TX 78207. Full festival schedule and tickets will be available Friday, June 23 at guadalupeculturalarts.org.

For more information visit www.guadalupeculturalarts.org/cine-festival/.?

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By Roberto Leal

Benjamin Bratt found himself in a number of supporting roles in the ’80s and early ‘90s in films like Juarez, Nasty Boys, One Good Cop, and a few stand-out pivotal roles in Blood In, Blood Out, Demolition Man, and A Clear and Present Danger. 

On television, Bratt landed the role of Detective Ray Curtis appearing in five seasons of the long-running NBC hit series, Law & Order. It was this role that earned him much richly deserved international recognition and critical praise. Detective Ray Curtis, as played by Bratt, was a proud Latino with smoldering passions just beneath a cool, seemingly detached demeanor that often erupted into rage and sometimes violence. Detective Curtis was not above roughing up a suspect or employing extra-legal tactics to secure justice for a victim. 

That hard-edged character he created on Law & Order became the signature persona that has served him well in all his film and TV roles.

After Law & Order

But in 1999, Bratt decided it was time to leave Law & Order. “I’ve felt like it was time to get back home to my family,” Bratt told the New York Post. “How do you walk away from the best job in the world and a group of people that you’ve grown to love? It’s not easy, and it was an extremely difficult decision that I had to make.”

Bratt didn’t stay home clipping coupons or watching telenovelas very long. Post Law & Order he put his unique acting skills into such films as, Miss Congeniality, Traffic, Catwoman, Snitch and Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs. Most recently Bratt also used his voice acting in the animated feature, Despicable Me and the Academy Award-winning, Disney film Coco.

The Van Cleef Effect

Despite the fact Bratt has played Latinos in film and TV from all walks of life, it’s his uncanny, chilling portrayal of evil men that stands out in his resume. Currently, in the HBO Max action-adventure mini-series DMZ, he plays an especially evil hombre named Parko Delgado, opposite his co-star Rosario Dawson. Bratt plays Delgado with devilish relish and very bad intentions. It’s an intense performance that Bratt has proven himself to be especially skillful at playing. For some actors, they might fear being typecast as villains. But Bratt is on the same career trajectory as other infamous movies “bad guys.”

Legendary character actor Lee Van Cleef made a career playing bad guys in films. After all, it was Van Cleef who was “the bad” in The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. Van Cleef was non-other than the murderous but memorable, Angel Eyes. Lee Marvin and Jack Palance also got their start in supporting roles as villains. But eventually, this led to them becoming lead actors as heroes; Van Cleef (Escape from New York), Lee Marvin (The Dirty Dozen) andJack Palance (City Slickers).

Bratt recently finished filming Dead for a Dollar, a Western directed by Walter Hill.  Dead for a Dollar follows a famed bounty hunter (Christoph Waltz) who runs into his sworn enemy (Willem Dafoe), a professional gambler and outlaw that he had sent to prison years before, while on a mission to find and return his wife (Rachel Brosnahan) of a successful businessman who is being held hostage in Mexico. Standing in the way is an infamous gangster (Bratt) who gets a piece of any action that happens along the Mexican border.

OMG! I’m shocked, shocked to discover Bratt has been cast as a Mexican gangster. No worries. Bratt is bound to add depth and make him a compelling, scene-stealing bad guy who will garner critical praise. 

Cultural Pride and Recognition

“On a national level,” Bratt has been quoted as saying, “There is a tendency to portray Latino culture as a monolith, which is an inaccurate way of seeing ourselves. There is as much diversity and uniqueness within the Latino culture as there is  in any other American  culture.” 

As if to prove his point, in 1996 Bratt not only starred but produced the award-winning film Follow Me Home, going against all Hollywood Latino stereotypes.  Follow me Home directed by Peter Bratt (Benjamin’s brother)  tracks the lives of four artists, one African American, one Native American, and two Chicano cousins, who embark on a cross-country road trip to paint a mural on the White House.   The film also starred Jesse Borrego, Alfre Woodard, and at that time, an unknown, Salma Hayek in a small role. An official selection at Sundance Film Festival, Pulitzer Prize winning author Alice Walker called Follow Me Home “a work of genius”.  In 2020 the fim was re-released, streaming for a week, accompanied with panel discussions with the cast and crew.

In 2009 Bratt he starred and again produced the feature La Mission which was written and directed by his brother Peter.  A story set in the Mission district of San Francisco about a reformed inmate and recovering alcoholic working hard to redeem his life and to do right by his only son, Jesse, whom he discovers is gay.  

The Perfect Film-Noir Man

Bratt has all the physical and emotional attributes that would have made him a natural leading man in the Hollywood film noir classics of the 40s and 50s. He comes out of that rich tough guy, anti-hero tradition as Humphrey Bogart, Robert Mitcham and Alan Ladd. 

It’s not too far-fetched an idea to imagine a modern-day Latino film-noir reboot of The Maltese Falcon, Out of the Past or This Gun for Hire.
Bratt was very good as a bad guy in DMZ and more than likely has an equally good performance in Dead for a Dollar. However, he has the look, attitude and style that would be perfect for an original Latino urban gritty crime drama. Picture this. Bratt is a hard-boiled, morally ambiguous private detective working in his hometown of San Francisco’s Mission District barrio, Chinatown and the Wharf and Pier in a thriller titled Fish Don’t Scream. Lots of cold, foggy exteriors laced with the aroma of seafood and the sounds of Coltrane and Thelonious Monk.  Benjamin Bratt looking very lean, mean, and stylish in a fedora and trench coat would make a cool highly sought-after grainy, black and white movie poster.

For now Bratt is currently working on

Natasha Lyonne And Rian Johnson’s Peacock Mystery Series Poker Face being produced by

Also executive producing are Maya Rudolph, Danielle Renfrew Behren, Ram Bergman, and Nena Rodriguez.

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