When I first went to the see the film Coco, I made sure to take my niece. I wanted her to have the experience of seeing our culture reflected on the big screen. The funny thing is, I ended up being the one in tears at the end of the film.

To see things that were familiar to me, the music, the clothes, the food…not as a side item, or the butt of a joke, but as the main attraction and done not with ridicule, but with pride; I cannot explain the surge of joy and pride that filled my heart in the first 5 minutes.

There was so much more to that film than I had even realized. The entire movie has an undertone theme of “crossing.” The central character Miguel accidentally crosses to the other side, some ancestors are denied access at the toll and are unable to cross. It was hard to miss that undertone, that even in our death, we will be subject to “declaration,” “pathway,” and “crossing.”

Then there was the beauty of memory. I think that was my biggest take away from the film.

I remember crying when the one guitar player disappeared because no one “remembered” him anymore.  By the time we reach the end (spoiler alert) and ‘Mama Coco’ dies, I was an emotional mess, she remembered her father’s song and thus he lives on, she lives on, in the memory. I remember immediately thinking of my loves one, just in case.

Watching the movie was an experience, within the experience. I couldn’t fully focus at first because, like a child at Disney, I was in awe, the music, the colors; the fact that is was an all-Latino cast meant familiar speech, the rhythm in which the family spoke to each other…all of it, was home.

In this weird time of a post-election Trump’s America, as a Mexican-American, I am exhausted. Since the presidential campaign, I walk around not sure of who I will encounter. Speaking Spanish, being proud of my Mexican culture and identity can now be seen as an act of rebellion, but for many of us, it just simply “is” – it is just being.

Watching the Oscars last night at the moment that live performance with Gael García Bernal sang “Remember Me” the theme song from Coco, I felt the same lump in my throat and the tears begin to well up. This is the first time (in my life) I can remember seeing images of Mexico displayed in honor of a nomination at the Oscars.

Again it was filled with beauty and sophistication, the dancers in ‘Traje de Charro’ and traditional “Ballet Folklórico” attire. This is the Mexico that I think of when I think of Mexico.

Although we still have miles to go with equal representation in media; I think many of us had tears throughout the night. To hear the young actor, Anthony Gonzalez (who voiced the main character ‘Miguel’) hold an Oscar, give his speech in English and say “Viva Mexico!” filled my heart with pride.

Guillermo del Toro brought the win for ‘Best Director’ and ‘Best Picture’ making it the 4th year – of the last five years – a Mexican director takes home the top honors (with the exception of 2017).  Alfonso Cuarón began the legacy winning ‘Best Director’ and ‘Best Film Editing’ in 2014, Alejandro González Iñárritu took ‘Best Director’ / ‘Best Picture in 2015 and another ‘Best Director’ in 2016. 

Plenty of A-lister Latinos made appearances, Gina Rodriguez, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Benjamin Bratt, Salma Hayek…to name a few. The tribute to “unsung heroes” performed by Common and Andra Day, included activist/icon, Dolores Huerta and international celebrity Chef, José Andrés – who most recently flew to Puerto Rico to aid in the rescue efforts, providing millions of meals to the island – were among those that were honored.

Throughout the entire show every time I heard The Shape of Water or Coco get an award or mentioned in a category, I was at home screaming HECK YEAH! Judging from my social media feeds, I wasn’t the only one.  It was a beautiful night of pride and victory.

For many of us, Oscar night was about so much more. It was about breaking stereotypes and finally having some visibility and recognition. It was about freely embracing our identity, about unity and inclusion rather than exclusion.

It is about saying to the world and the man sitting in the White House, we are not all “rapist and criminals.”

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To view Yolitzma’s previous columns, click here.

Disney’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is considered one of the greatest animated movies ever made — and it’s coming to the El Paso Community Foundation’s 10th annual Plaza Classic Film Festival.

It’s the 80th anniversary of the animated classic, which was Walt Disney’s first feature-length animated film.

This marks the first time Snow White will be shown at the Plaza Classic Film Festival.

The 10th anniversary edition of the Plaza Classic will run from Aug. 3-13 in and around El Paso’s Plaza Theatre. Organizers said the festival will be bringing back some of their “greatest hits” and “showing a lot more movies we’ve never shown before.”

On Thursday, in honor of their birthday, organizers announced 10 more titles they’ve lined up for this summer. In addition to Snow White, they’ll be screening:

• Romancing the Stone (1984)

• The Unsinkable Molly Brown, with El Paso native Debbie Reynolds (1964)

• The Maltese Falcon (1941)

• National Lampoon’s Animal House (1978)

• Cronos (1993)

• The Secret of NIMH, directed by El Paso native Don Bluth (1982)

• An American in Paris (1951)

• Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004)

Festival passes are on sale now by clicking here. Individual tickets go on sale in early July.

Not all Disney heroes are royalty. Fa Mulan is a girl worried about her ailing father, and takes his place as a warrior in the army, saving not only her father, but China as well.

Disney’s Mulan Jr. features music and lyrics by Matthew Wilder and David Zippel, Stephen Schwartz, Jeanine Tesori and Alexa Junge; music adapted and arranged and additional music and lyrics by Bryan Louiselle; book adapted and additional lyrics by Patricia Cotter. Disney’s Mulan Jr. is based on the 1998 Oscar-nominated Disney film “Mulan” and the story “Fa Mulan” by Robert D. San Souci.

Disney’s Mulan Jr. is a heartwarming celebration of culture, honor and the fighting spirit. With hit songs and a story packed with action, humor and heart, Disney’s Mulan Jr. brings ancient China to life with a modern sensibility.

The Huns have invaded, and it is up to the misfit Mulan and her mischievous dragon sidekick, Mushu, to save the Emperor. Defying the village matchmaker, Mulan takes up arms and disguises herself as a boy in order to spare her father from having to serve in the army.

As the great battle with the Huns approaches, Mulan must choose between revealing her true identity as a girl or saving all of China with her clever plan.

The show is directed by Skyler Carreon, with musical direction by Laura Sambrano.

KIDS-N-CO.’S production of Disney’s Mulan Jr. opens Saturday, May 27 and continues weekends through June 11 at First Presbyterian Church, 1340 Murchison.

Showtimes are 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, and 2:30 p.m. Sundays. Tickets are $7 for adults, and $5 for children, students, senior citizens and military.

Alamo Drafthouse Cinema Montecillo celebrates one of Disney’s most anticipated live action remakes, Beauty and the Beast, with a delectable four-course feast and screening, a photo booth and month-long menu specials.

Starting Thursday, March 16, 2017, the original animated Disney classic is coming to life in a live action version directed by Bill Condon and starring Harry Potter’s Emma Watson as Belle. The Alamo Drafthouse will have a Beauty and the Beast themed photo-booth awaiting guests as they arrive in the lobby and that is only the beginning of the celebration.

A unique Beauty and the Beast-

inspired menu will be featured during every screening at Alamo Drafthouse Montecillo in the month of March. The food and drink menu items include the “Croque Maurice”, a spin on the classic French bistro sandwich, and the “The Transformation”, a refreshing gin and sparkling wine-based cocktail with a “Wand’ sidecar of black currant liqueur.

In addition, the screening of Beauty and the Beast at 7pm on Wednesday, March 29 will be accompanied by a four-course feast. As the story of Belle and the Beast unfolds on the screen, you will enjoy an immersive cinematic experience that includes “”Hot Hor D’Oeuvres” buttery flaky hor d’oeuvres, “Gray Deliciousness” roasted eggplant, “Beef Ragout” savory beef short rib, and a “Pie and Pudding” sweet flamed cherry pie to top it off.

Kyle Alvarado, Creative Manager for Alamo Drafthouse Montecillo, says that the anticipation for immersive movie experiences is rapidly building in El Paso. “We are excited to introduce our movie feast concept to El Pasoans with a film as magical as Beauty and the Beastand we can’t wait for our guests to experience the hard work and creativity of our culinary team.”

Tickets to the four-course Beauty and the Beast Feast screening on March 29 can be purchased here. Tickets to regular screenings of the film at the Alamo Drafthouse Montecillo can be purchased here.

Also, the Alamo Drafthouse Montecillo will be offering “Alamo For All” screenings of Beauty and the Beast. These screenings are sensory friendly, open to all ages and the house lights will be left a little higher and the sound turned down a little lower.

Click here to view all “Alamo For All” screenings available at the Alamo Drafthouse Montecillo.