by Rebecca Romani
August 6, 2025
Film nights outside are one of the unsung pleasures of Summer in San Diego. This year, a new summer series makes its debut Saturday, August 9, and runs through the month of Chicano Heritage Month (August) in Chicano Park in Barrio Logan.
The series, dubbed, Cinema en el Parque, is a free series, celebrating Chicano film and Chicano Heritage Month.
August 9: Real Women Have Curves
The series opens Saturday, Aug. 9 with Real Women Have Curves, 2002, starring America Ferrera in her first feature, and the acclaimed Lupe Ontiveros, directed by Patricia Cardoso.
The film follows Ana, the daughter of Mexican immigrants, as she negotiates the end of high school, and a desire for something more than a working-class life in her family’s clothing factory.
Lauded for its sensitive portrayal of Latino life, the independent film is the first Latina-directed film to be inducted into the National Registry of Films (2019)
The film is rated PG-13.
A screening of the short RPB documentary on Radio Pulso, directed by Aleida Lomeli, about the local radio station based out of Barrio Logan, precedes the feature.
There will also be music by DJ Rambo.
Chairs will be provided but attendees are invited to bring blankets, beach chairs, etc. Vendors will be on site with food and drinks for sale.
The event starts at 6 pm with the film at 7.30 pm.
Born of community resistance in 1970, Chicano Park, located at 1949 Logan Ave, San Diego, CA 92113, has been recognized as a significant collection of public Chicano Art (murals, statues, etc.). Chicano Park was entered on the National Register of Historic Places in 2013, owing to its association with the Chicano Movement and made a National Historic Landmark in 2016.
The screening schedule includes:
August 16: La Bamba
Written and directed by Luis Valdez, starring Lou Diamond Phillips, Esai Morales, Rosana DeSoto. The life of rock & roll legend Ritchie Valens bursts across the screen in this celebrated, music-filled movie.
This screening will be preceded by a presentation of Barrio, directed by Sydney Villa (15 min.).
Music by Ana Brown /Cumbia Machin.
Saturday August 23, 2025: Born in East L.A.
Written, Starring, and Directed by Cheech Marin
Cheech Marin, writes, directs and stars in Born in East L.A., an outrageous comedy that is more timely than ever. The story follows Rudy (Marin), an American citizen who is mistaken for an undocumented Mexican national. As luck goes, he is caught with neither money nor his ID and is deported to Mexico – without a word of Spanish. Unable to contact his vacationing family or his newly immigrated cousin, Rudy is in for a crazy ride as he tries every legal – and illegal – scheme he can think of to get back home. He finds himself in jail and in love in this hilarious case of mistaken, or rather, misplaced, identity.
Rating: R (Language)
Introduction by Chicano Park muralist, Victor Ochoa.
Music by Ana Brown / Cumbia Machine
Screening Saturday August 23, 2025
Film: Walkout
Based on true events in East LA in 1968,
Event starts at 6:00PM, Film at 7:30PM.
The series is made possible by the Chicano Park Steering Committee and Arts in CA Parks, as well as the Media Arts Center San Diego.
