La Llorona + El Chupacabra + Pachuco Luchador = ‘El Güey’ (video)


It’s everything you want in a movie! All your favorite characters in ONE SHORT TRAILER! The plot:

La Llorona is on trial, accused of killing her children, but she maintains they were stolen by El Chupacabra (who is also an evil narcotraficante.) Can pachuco luchador El Güey come to her rescue?

There’s a great news video about the production but we can’t embed it, so click here for a Lone Star Scene report from the Austin, TX movie set.

When Spanish in school was illegal: ‘When I Dream Dreams’ (video)


Once upon a time in America, Latino kids were not allowed to speak Spanish in school. This documentary recalls those days.

In 1918, Texas, along with many other states, enacted statutes that made the speaking of any language other than English on public school grounds illegal. These laws remained active until the U.S. Congress passed the Bilingual Education Act in 1968.

Through personal interviews with distinguished leaders and educators — all native Spanish/English-speakers — When I Dream Dreams explores the complex psychological and social effects of these laws by relating the experiences of these people as students and, later, as teachers, professors, and legislators.

When I Dream Dreams was made by four students enrolled in an alternative media course at Trinity University in 2001. It has won prizes and festival appearances around the United States, including Best Student Film at the San Francisco Latino Film Festival 2002, Best of the Fest at Cine Accion 2002, and official selection at San Antonio’s Cine Festival 2002. The piece takes its name from the poem by Carmen Tafolla.

From Archive.org

It’s the bomb! Five-Second Films: ‘Vocabulario Explosivo’ (video)


Yup. You figured it out. A five-second-long explosive video meant to help your Spanish vocabulary. Click to play. What do you have to lose?  OK.  Five seconds of your life.  Eight seconds if you include the opening and closing credits.  And yet, having a good vocabulary is worth the time. Am I right, people? *applause*

Complete ‘Hey Vato!’ NSFW existential angst of Chuy y Smiley (videos)


When we heard one of our favorite Hey Vato! episodes (The Tattoo) would be screening at the San Francisco Frozen Film Festival we knew it was time for a special Sabado Ponchonte Saturday Night Video Festival featuring EVERY episode of our favorite web series, in order, so here they are. Hey Vatos! Orale!

Mas…Complete ‘Hey Vato!’ NSFW existential angst of Chuy y Smiley (videos)

You too can be telepathic like Arizona SB1070-lovin’ cops! (video)


Rep. Luis Gutierrez, a Democratic congressman from Chicago, steps up to the lectern in the United States House of Representatives and teaches all of America how to be “telepathic” like the Arizona cops and politicians who somehow know – without racial profiling – who is undocumented and who is not.

A must-see video for Justin Bieber fans! In my opinion, the Honorable Representative can have a second career at The Daily Show.

Truth exposed at last! What goes on behind the white door? (video)


If you’re black, you don’t know. If you’re brown, you remain in the dark. Red or yellow? Ditto — the Secret World of White People is hidden from your view. Reporter Ed Murphy goes under cover as a white guy to find out what’s behind the white door. The moral of the story? Be kind to your web-footed friends.

Driving While Brown? Try ‘Arizona-me’ (SB1070 NSFW video) *UPDATED


UPDATED JUNE 25: Now that the Supreme Court says it’s OK for Arizona’s cops to continue their demands for “papers,” this advice video for folks contemplating a drive through the Hate State of Arizona is even more critical. From Familia del Barrio. Watch and learn!


(MARCH 24) The U.S. Supreme Court today hears the appeal from proponents of the racist Arizona SB1070 law, which legalized racial profiling in the Hate State. Long before this vile measure was challenged by legal experts, it was spoofed by in the Mexican cartoon series Familia del Barrio.

Their animated episode Arizona-me details how the cartoon family wanted to cope with this foul attack on immigrants. Click the [CC] button for English closed captions. (NSFW language Spanish and English.)

And look below to see how their fans coped. 

Mas…Driving While Brown? Try ‘Arizona-me’ (SB1070 NSFW video) *UPDATED

Video Double Feature: Sometimes a bicycle is more than a bicycle

The Okra Planter
The Old Bicycle

A bicycle is just basic transportation, really. Wheels, metal tubes, chains, gears, rubber, grease, paint if you’re lucky, a basket and maybe a bell. Yet sometimes it’s a vehicle that binds fathers and daughters together.

Brasil sends us the multi-award-winning O Plantador de Quiabos (the okra planter) in Portuguese with English subtitles and from San Francisco’s Mission District comes a documentary that introduces us to the family behind La Bicicleta Vieja (the old bicycle), Spanish with English subtitles.

Enjoy these two shorts – our Sabado Pochonte Double Feature!

Mas…Video Double Feature: Sometimes a bicycle is more than a bicycle

Konichi-wa, homie, from Japan’s cholos, lowriders y Chicano rappers

Invasion, “Asia graffiti & lifestyle magazine,” writes:

Two parts of Chicano hip-hop culture in particular have become popular in Japan:
the music, and the cars. When the Japanese do Chicano rap, they still rap in Japanese
instead of English, Spanish, or some mixture of the two. But the beat, the clothes
and the look are quite matched.

Peep this short video of Japanese lowrider hydraulics:

Mas…Konichi-wa, homie, from Japan’s cholos, lowriders y Chicano rappers