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Cine Fantástico, El Paso’s free celebration of popular Mexican film, returns to the Plaza Theatre during the upcoming Chalk the Block festival.

The 2019 edition of Cine Fantástico – set for Saturday, October 12 – is a project of the Paso del Norte Community Foundation and part of the annual Downtown arts festival Chalk the Block.

Cine Fantástico will also feature two more classics of popular Mexican cinema, Santo Contra Hombres Infernales (1961) and Mexico’s first horror film, La Llorona (1933).

In Cine Fantástico’s inaugural year, the masked Mexican hero El Santó’s restored 1961 film Santo Contra Cerebro del Mal returned to the big screen. This year, a masked female hero returns in a restored version of 1968’s The Batwoman (La Mujer Murciélago), in Spanish with English subtitles.

García Besné will participate in Q&A’s, led by El Paso film host and Cine Fantástico co-founder Charles Horak, before each film.

The screenings spotlight García Besné and the Permanencia Voluntaria Film Archive’s work to preserve and restore popular Mexican films produced by her family and others. The event also shines a light on El Paso’s rich film history and ties to the Mexican film industry.

The event will begin with a screening of La Llorona at 1 p.m. La Llorona was directed by Ramón Peón and produced by José Calderón. Public fascination in Mexico with the story of “the wailing woman” made it the right choice as the subject for the first Mexican horror film.

For Spanish-speaking movie audiences it was the perfect answer to Hollywood’s vampires, werewolves and mummies. As the ghostly Llorona hovers while uttering her spine-chilling howl “¡Ay, mis hijos…!”…the legend is brought to chilling life for the first time on film.

At 4 p.m., El Santo returns in Santo Contra Hombres Infernales. Made simultaneously with Santo Contra Cerebro del Mal by director Joselito Rodriguez and producer by Jorge García Besné, this second film starring the legendary masked wrestler is a rare and historically important film.

Made in Cuba on the eve of the revolution, Santo Contra Hombres Infernales helped launch the movie career of El Santo, the real life Mexican wrestler who became an international star with more than 50 sequels that followed.

“The future slayer of Aztecs, mummies, vampires, aliens and evil-doers of every variety had to start somewhere…and this is that film!” Cine Fantástico officials add.

The feature attraction The Batwoman (La Mujer Murciélago), begins at 7 p.m. Directed by René Cardona and produced by Guillermo Calderón, the mysterious Batwoman (the masked and very sexy alter-ego of a wealthy socialite) is brought in to help crack the case of a string of murders befalling wrestlers around the world and forcing the Mexican authorities to partner with the American FBI.

Discovering that each luchador victim has been drained of cerebral fluid, Batwoman discovers a mad scientist using the fluid to create a powerful man-fish hybrid that has more than a passing resemblance to The Creature From The Black Lagoon.

A favorite film of Mexican director Guillermo del Toro, The Batwoman has been newly restored in all its colorful glory by the Permanencia Voluntaria Film Archive.

Generous local donors and funds raised during last year’s Cine Fantastico screening of Santo Contra Cerebro del Mal at the Plaza Theatre made the restoration of The Batwoman possible.

The Permanencia Voluntaria Film Archive is also partnered with the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to help preserve and restore the rich archive of Mexican popular films, much of which was nearly lost during the Mexico City earthquake in 2017.

All movies are free and shown in Spanish with English subtitles.

Cine Fantástico is presented by the Permanencia Voluntaria Film Fund, a nonprofit created in partnership with the Paso del Norte Community Foundation to build awareness for the ongoing preservation work of Mexico’s Permanencia Voluntaria Film Archive, founded by special guest Viviana García Besné. García Besné’s family were entrepreneurs from Chihuahua who owned and managed several theaters in El Paso and Mexico, including the Cine Plaza in Juárez; and the beloved Colón, Alcázar, Estrella, and Rex Theaters on South El Paso Street.

The Calderón brothers and their descendants produced over 150 films, including those starring El Santo, and established Azteca Films, one of the most significant Latin American film distribution companies in the world.

On Tuesday, Museums and Cultural Affairs Department officials announced the artist line-up for this year’s Chalk the Block festival that takes place from October 11 to October 13 in the downtown Arts Festival Plaza.

“When we started there were 12 artists and 5,000 people attending. We have steadily grown to include more than 200 artists, vendors and musicians and installations from around the world,” said Museums and Cultural Affairs Event and Production Coordinator Ismael Acosta. “This year’s festival will bring new and exciting guest artists and continue the high quality entertainment we have come to expect from Chalk the Block.”

The free event features temporary interactive art installations, live dance and theatrical performances, live bands, and food vendors. The largest public arts festival is celebrating its 12^th year in downtown with the following interactive installations and performances.

In addition, 52 artists will create masterpieces with chalk on the pedestrian pathway between Southwest University Park and the El Paso Convention Center.

Visitors can enjoy the City’s museums as both the El Paso Museum of Art and El Paso Museum of History, will be open extended hours during the festival.

Chalk the Block is a collaborative event put together by the Museums and Cultural Affairs Department and the El Paso Community Foundation. This project is supported in part by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts and an award from the Texas Commission on the Arts.

Since it began, Chalk the Block has become one of El Paso’s premiere events and the largest free three-day public arts festival in the Southwest region drawing more than 40,000 people every year.

For more information on Chalk the Block, visit the event’s webpage.

• Los Trompos: Creators: Esrawe + Cadena; Owners: Dte Energy Beacon Park Foundation and the Downtown Detroit Partnership
• Red, White, Blue-Green: Julia Jamrozik and Coryn Kempster, Buffalo, New York
• Pneumatica: Squonk, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
• Painted Pianos: Various Artists, El Paso
• Mural Walk: Curated by Kalavera Culture Shop, Various Artists, El Paso

The City of El Paso Museums and Cultural Affairs Department (MCAD) has opened the application period for artists and vendors to participate in the Chalk the Block 2018 event (CTB11).

“Chalk the Block is an opportunity for artists to have their work seen by thousands of people throughout the festival weekend alongside internationally known featured installation and performing artists,” said Museums and Cultural Affairs Department Assistant Director Ben Fyffe.

The eleventh presentation of the largest public arts festival in the region that takes place this year the weekend of October 12 through 14. The streets of Downtown El Paso become canvasses for artists to display their chalk masterpieces at Chalk the Block.

Chalk artists and musicians interested in participating in this year’s festival must submit an online application by 11:30 p.m. August 27. Artisan and food vendors must submit an online application by 11:30 p.m. September 3. The only way to be selected to participate in the festival is to apply through the MCAD.

Chalk artists can apply in one of three categories – Showcase, Emerging, or Student. Showcase and Emerging Artist categories are for individuals ages 18 or older. Artists applying in the student category must be high school age.

The selection process is highly competitive and space is limited for chalk artists, musicians and vendors. Artist and musician guidelines, online applications and vending requirements for arts and crafts and food vendors are available online.

All applications must be submitted online; no paper applications will be accepted.

For more information about Chalk the Block, call the Museums and Cultural Affairs Department at (915) 212-0110, or visit www.chalktheblock.com

For the 10th year in a row, residents, artists, musicians and many more headed downtown to enjoy Chalk the Block.

Chalk the Block offers visitors a chance to see sidewalk chalk art competition, temporary art installations, street performances, live music, and local art and food vendors, plus participate in free art activities at the El Paso Museums of Art and History.

Chalk the Block is the largest arts festival in the region, drawing more than 40,000 El Pasoans and visitors to downtown each year. Additional information as well as a complete list of activities is posted online or can be found on the Visit El Paso app.

CTB continues Sunday, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Kidical Mass with Velopaso, GECU Kids Zone, free yoga workshop, music and art activities.

The City of El Paso Museums and Cultural Affairs Department (MCAD), along with the El Paso Community Foundation, invites the community to attend the 10^th annual Chalk the Block (CTB) Public Art Festival.

The festival, presented by Rudolph Dealerships, runs from Friday, October 6, to Sunday, October 8, in Downtown El Paso.

Chalk the Block offers visitors a chance to see sidewalk chalk art competition, temporary art installations, street performances, live music, and local art and food vendors, plus participate in free art activities at the El Paso Museums of Art and History.

Chalk the Block is the largest arts festival in the region, drawing more than 40,000 El Pasoans and visitors to downtown each year. The festival creates a significant economic impact, with a projected $1 million pumped into the local economy over the CTB weekend.

List of events:

• Friday, October 6, 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., Showcase Chalk Artists get a head start on their masterpieces and preview of some of the large installations. The Food Truck Garden will be open on Friday night.
• Saturday, October 7, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., GECU Kids Zone, live music and activities. (The Downtown Art and Farmer’s Market will be closed during Chalk the Block, but residents may visit some of the selected Market Vendors on Franklin and Main)
• Sunday, October 8, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Kidical Mass with Velopaso, GECU Kids Zone, free yoga workshop, music and art activities.

Fort Bliss MWR will be providing a free shuttle service for military families on Saturday between Fort Bliss and the festival.

Additional information as well as a complete list of activities is posted online or can be found on the Visit El Paso app.

CTB 10 is sponsored by Rudolph Dealerships, GECU, Providence Children’s Hospital, The Hunt Family Foundation, Chase Bank, El Paso Electric, AARP, Idea Public Schools, Interextreme, the El Paso Community Foundation, City of El Paso Museum and Cultural Affairs Department, National Endowment for the Arts and the Texas Commission on the Arts.

The City of El Paso Museums and Cultural Affairs Department (MCAD) has revealed the line-up for this year’s Chalk the Block Festival.

“Ten years ago, we started with 12 artists and 5,000 people attending. We have steadily grown to include more than 200 artists, vendors and musicians and installations from around the world,” said Assistant Director of Museums Cultural Affairs Department Ben Fyffe. “This year’s festival will bring new and exciting guest artists and continue the high quality entertainment we have come to expect from Chalk the Block.”

Every October, the streets of Downtown El Paso become canvasses for artists to display their chalk masterpieces at Chalk the Block. This year the festival will be held during the weekend of October 6 through October 8 in the heart of the Downtown Arts District.

This year, CTB will engage attendees with installations created by artists from around the nation.

⦁ Wish Tree: Yoko Ono – New York based Tokyo artist ⦁ Wish Tree is an ongoing interactive art project where visitors are invited to tie wishes on trees. After the festival, all the wishes that were collected will be sent to the Imagine Peace Tower on Viðey Island in Reykjavík, Iceland. Imagine Peace Tower is composed of a tall shimmering tower of light that appears every year and is visible from October 9th (John’s birthday) until December 8th (the anniversary of his death).

⦁ Spheres of Influence: Curime Batliner and Jake Newsum – Los Angeles ⦁ Created by Curime Batliner and Jake Newsum for the for the Mextropoli Festival in Mexico City, Spheres of Influence is part installation and part live performance that uses a robotic system from Staubli to paint layers of graphics (abstracted from the city) onto a series of human-scale spheres. The spheres are painted throughout the festival demonstrating how technology can transform a public space.

⦁ Life Cube: Scott Cohen – New York ⦁ The Life Cube Project creates large-scale, engaging, interactive and ephemeral installations connecting art and community, and inspiring the expression of goals, dreams, wishes and aspirations. The project encourages participants to look at their past, engage in the present and set goals for the future.  Over the past five years in multiple venues, the Life Cube has inspired over a hundred thousand people through aesthetic, interactive cultural installations based on the artist’s belief that “if you write down what you want to accomplish in life, the chances of attaining it are much, much higher.”

⦁ Cycle Sonic: Squonk Opera – Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania ⦁ Composer Jackie Dempsey and artist Steve O’Hearn work with an ensemble of 10-20 artists to create post-industrial performances with original music, design, and staging, outside the rules of mass culture, fashion or academia. Giant, animated bikers circle the audience, with backdrops of undulating flags and 20-foot legs pumping with the rhythm of sustainable power. With no carbon footprint, Cycle Sonic combines the thrill of a live concert with the world of everyday transit.

⦁ Sun Metro Bus – Art on the Move: Curated by Kalavera Culture Shop ⦁ For the festival’s 10th anniversary, Chalk the Block and Sun Metro are joining forces to create a piece of movable art. During the festival, local street artists will paint one of Sun Metro’s 35-foot busses. After the festival, the bus will be added to one of Sun Metro’s existing routes for a period. Art on the Move was a featured installation at Chalk the Block 5, and it is returning for the festival’s 10th anniversary.

Festival visitors will also be able to enjoy live music throughout the day on Saturday from some of the area’s best local musicians. DJs will also be spinning throughout the weekend.

• Brandon Bailey Johnson
• Gila Monster
• Sonido Cachimbo
• Sha’Vonne
• Fixed Idea
• Frontera Bugalu

Chalk the Block is a collaborative event organized by the City of El Paso Museums & Cultural Affairs Department and the El Paso Community Foundation and sponsored by the Rudolph family of dealerships.

This year’s festival is also supported in part by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts.

The festival will be open Friday, October 6, from 6 – 10 p.m.; Saturday, October 7, 10 a.m. -10 p.m.; and Sunday, October 8, from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Visitors to the festival will be able to access a complete event guide on the Visit El Paso app. The app can be downloaded at www.visitelpaso.com. For more information, click Chalk the Block or call 212-0110.

The City of El Paso Museums and Cultural Affairs Department (MCAD) has opened the application period for artists and vendors to participate in the 2017 Chalk the Block event (CTB10).

“Chalk the Block is an opportunity for artists to have their work seen by thousands of people, alongside internationally known featured installation and performing artists, throughout the festival weekend,” said Assistant Director of the Museum and Cultural Affairs Department Ben Fyffe.

Chalk artists and vendors interested in participating in this year’s festival must submit an online application by 6 p.m. August 29.

The streets of Downtown El Paso become canvasses for artists to display their chalk masterpieces at Chalk the Block every October.

Chalk artists can apply in one of three categories – Showcase, Emerging, or Student. Showcase and Emerging Artist categories are for individuals ages 18 or older.

Artists applying in the student category must be high school age.

The selection process is highly competitive and space is limited for chalk artists and vendors. Artist guidelines, online applications and vending requirements for arts and crafts and food vendors are available online.

All applications must be submitted online; no paper applications will be accepted.

This year, the MCAD is celebrating the 10^th annual anniversary of the largest public arts festival in the region during the weekend of October 6 through 8.

For more information about Chalk the Block, call (915) 212-0110, or visit the website.

The City of El Paso Museums and Cultural Affairs Department (MCAD) reports that this year’s Chalk the Block festival turned out to be a huge success with an estimated 36,000 people attending the event.

During the festival, the El Paso Museum of Art hosted 2,091 visitors, a 271% increase from the 564 visitors the previous weekend. On Saturday, 231 people worked on the mural in the C2 Gallery.

The El Paso Museum of History hosted 531 visitors, a 254% increase from the 150 visitors the previous weekend. Numerous visitors to CTB took the opportunity to explore the Digital Wall outside the Museum of History as well.

The wall had 171,490 individual touches during the CTB weekend compared to 47,359 the weekend before.

“Since this festival started nine years ago, it has been a way to consistently draw people to downtown El Paso,” said Assistant Director of Museums and Cultural Affairs Ben Fyffe. “The community and the region have embraced this festival and take advantage of every aspect of it from the chalk art to activities at the Museums of Art and History.”

Every October, thousands of people from El Paso and the surrounding region converge on Downtown El Paso to enjoy three days of art, music and entertainment at the Chalk the Block public art festival (CTB).

The festival creates a significant economic impact, with a projected $1 million pumped into the local economy during the CTB weekend.

The City of El Paso Museums and Cultural Affairs Department (MCAD), along with the El Paso Community Foundation, invites everyone to attend the ninth annual Chalk the Block (CTB) Public Art Festival presented by Rudolph Dealerships from Friday, October 14 to Sunday, October 16 in Downtown El Paso.

Chalk the Block is the largest arts festival in the region, drawing more than 40,000 El Pasoans and visitors to downtown each year.

The festival offers visitors a chance to see sidewalk chalk art competition, temporary art installations, street performances, hear live music, visit local art and food vendors, and participate in free art activities at the El Paso Museums of Art and History.

List of events for Chalk the Block:

• Friday, October 14, 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., Showcase Chalk Artists get a head start on their masterpieces and preview of some of the large installations.

• Saturday, October 15, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., GECU Kids Zone, Lego Brick Build-a-thon, live music and activities.

• Sunday, October 16, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Kidical Mass with Velopaso, GECU Kids Zone, free yoga workshop, music and art activities.

Uber will have a drop off and pick up location at Chalk the Block. First time Uber users can sign up and use the codeCTB2016 for special pricing on rides.

Sun Metro will be detouring routes that normally go through the festival area; more information is available at www.sunmetro.net.

Additional information as well as a complete list of activities is posted online at www.chalktheblock.com

The City of El Paso Museums and Cultural Affairs Department has opened the application period for chalk artists and vendors to participate in the 2016 Chalk the Block event.

Chalk artists and vendors interested in participating in this year’s festival must submit an application by September 1. Every October, the streets of Downtown El Paso become canvasses for artists to display their chalk masterpieces at Chalk the Block.

“Chalk the Block is an opportunity for artists to have their work seen by thousands of people throughout the festival weekend, and they will be shown alongside internationally known featured artists,” said Assistant Director of the Museums and Cultural Affairs Department Ben Fyffe.

Chalk Artists can apply in one of three categories – Showcase, Emerging, or Student. Showcase and Emerging Artist categories are for individuals ages 18 or older. Artists applying in the student category must be high school age.

Applications for vendors, including artists, artisans, crafts, and mobile food vendors, are also open at this time. This year the vendor opportunities have expanded to include Food Cottage Industries in addition to handcrafted art sales.

All applications and requirements are available at www.chalktheblock.com. Chalk artists and vendors who are interested in participating in Chalk the Block should submit their applications as soon as possible as the spaces are limited, and it is a highly competitive process.

The festival, which will take place October 14 through 16, is now the largest arts festival in the region, drawing more than 40,000 El Pasoans and visitors to the Downtown Arts District each year.

For more information call 212-0110.

Tens of thousands of people flooded Downtown El Paso for food, fun, free art, and more, during the three days of Chalk the Block 8.

This year’s festival brought in record attendance with an estimated 41,000 people attending the event.  This festival creates a significant economic impact, with a projected $1 million pumped into the local economy over the CTB weekend.

“Since this festival started eight years ago, it has been a way to consistently draw people to downtown El Paso,” said Ben Fyffe, assistant director of the city’s Museums and Cultural Affairs Department. “The community and the region have embraced this festival and take advantage of every aspect of it from the chalk art to activities at the Museums of Art and History.”

MCAD officials also credit the festival for boosting the attendance at other cultural amenities in Downtown.

During the festival weekend, the El Paso Museum of Art saw a 397% increase in visitors over the previous weekend, jumping from 603 to 2,890 visitors. The El Paso Museum of History hosted 3,139 visitors, a 590% increase over the 455 visitors the previous weekend. Numerous visitors to CTB took the opportunity to explore the Digital Wall outside the Museum of History as well.

The wall had 453,533 individual touches during the CTB weekend compared to 96,736 the weekend before.

As part of the festival, the downtown museums offered special activities as part of the festival, and visitors were also able to see new exhibits at both locations – Marc Chagall’s The Green Violinist at the El Paso Museum of Art and Made in El Paso: The Influence and Legacy of El Paso’s Cowboy Boots.

Author: City of El Paso

Since its inception, Chalk the Block (CTB) has quickly became one of El Paso’s premiere events and the largest FREE three-day public arts festival in the Southwest region drawing over 32,000 people annually.

In 2015, CTB is celebrating 8 years of re-imagining downtown El Paso through the power of art, while providing an “out of this world” experience for its attendees. But CTB was not always the big monster that it is now.

In 2008 it started as a one-day sidewalk chalk art competition with about twelve artists that took place at Arts Festival Plaza next to the El Paso Museum of Art. Organizers from the City of El Paso- Museums & Cultural Affairs Department and the El Paso Community Foundation quickly realized after the overwhelming support that the event needed to expand and enhance the experience.

Each year, about 200 local, national and international artists from all disciplines participate at CTB creating a fun, quirky and diverse environment for people of all ages to enjoy.

The event features: Temporary interactive art installations, live dance and theatrical performances, a sidewalk chalk art competition, live bands, art and food vendors, access to various activities and exhibits at both the El Paso Museum of Art and Museum of History and more.

To view more info on CTB visit their Facebook or Webpage

Author: Chalk the Block