by Rebecca Romani
August 19, 2025
Sometimes satire cuts close, while being the only way to address the situation. Cinema en el parque continues to observe Chicano Heritage Month with a Chicano classic that does just that. The free screening, scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 23, features well-known comedian Cheech Marin in the classic Born in East L.A. There will be music by DJ Ana Brown and Cumbia Machin as well as a workshop on scanning photos and other things in the Chicano Park Museum at 4 pm.
Born in East L.A. hits home especially hard this year, despite its humor, because of recent events involving ICE. Written and directed by Cheech Marin in his first directorial debut, the film follows Rudy (played with sharp comic timing by Marin), an American citizen of Latino descent, who gets mistakenly picked up in an immigration raid and deported to Mexico. Rudy’s comic struggle to return to the US touches on many issues from the border to OTMs (Other Than Mexicans).
Viewers may recognize a lot in the film. Like parts of El Norte, Born, was shot in Tijuana. Lupe Ontiveros, a dynamic staple of many Latino films, including El Norte and Real Women Have Curves, also returns. Marin’s comedic partner, Tommy Chong, may not be acting in the film, but if you look closely, you can spot him in an unexpected visual cameo above the jukebox.
The event starts at 4 pm and the screening starts around 7.30 pm. Attendees are advised to bring a blanket and chairs will be provided. The screening takes place at the Chicano Park Kiosko. The screen is big enough that most sightlines are very good.
Various snacks such as popcorn and water are provided courtesy of the Chicano Park Steering Committee.
The free screening series is made possible by Arts in CA Parks, an initiative supported by CA State Parks, CA Arts Council, and Parks California. Events partners include Media Arts Center, San Diego and the Chicano Park Steering Committee.
The last screening of the series is Saturday, August 30, with Walkout, directed by Edward James Olmos.
