Ugly Little Monkeys - Film Festival at Hollywood Park - LA Premiere!

A group of young men in Tucson, Arizona are formed into the first youth Mariachi in the United States by an Irish Catholic Priest.

Despite the Priest’s immoral conduct, they created a world-renowned Youth Mariachi Movement that endures, and sixty years later, the group continues being celebrated.

Director Biography - David E Valdez, Enrique Castillo

David E. Valdez: With a career spanning over 30 years in the field of film and television production, Mr. Valdez’s experience includes cinematography, writing, producing, and directing. Educational background includes a BFA with a Cinema emphasis from the University of Arizona in Tucson and a MFA in Cinematography from The American Film Institute in Los Angeles. He presents an engaging communication style that facilitates effective, professional working relationships between the client and crew conducive to a smooth-running, high-quality production completed on time and within budget.Early on, he decided to expand from cinematography and cross-trained in different departments, including props master, special effects makeup, and location management. He was hired as Assistant Director for Cinetel Productions on Nickelodeon’s hit series Hey Dude (1989-91) and then Director for The Nashville Network series Exploring America Side-by-Side (1991-93), which filmed in the Caribbean, Canada, and throughout the US. He also worked as a non-credit company grip on the following Hollywood features: The Quick and the Dead, Boys on the Side, Tank Girl, Casino, Tin Cup, An Unfinished Affair, and Legends.Mr. Valdez is currently the Executive Producer, Co-Director, and co-producer on his feature documentary, Ugly Little Monkeys – The True Story of Los Changuitos Feos de Tucson. The film is about the first youth mariachi group in the United States started by a Catholic Priest. It’s a triumphant musical story with a dark side that has never been told before until now, over 55 years later.

Enrique Castillo: As an actor, Enrique has worked on the films: (Déjà Vu, Blood In-Blood Out, The Hi-Lo Country, The End of Violence, My Family, El Norte, Nixon, and Mars Attacks. On television, he has guest-starred on NCIS: Los Angeles, Outlaw, Major Crimes, Angel, The Marshal, and Enlightened. On stage, Enrique played opposite Edward James Olmos in the Center Theater Group/El Teatro Campesino’s production Zoot Suit.In theater, Enrique directed the award-winning play "The Last Angry Brown Hat." He wrote and directed "Veteranos: A Legacy of Valor," a theater piece honoring the military contributions of Latinos in America’s defense. Veteranos received the prestigious Imagen Award for Best Live Theatrical Production in Los Angeles, CA.In music, Enrique has been included in the Smithsonian Museum of American History’s compact disc collection Rolas de Aztlan: Songs of the Chicano Movement.Enrique wrote and directed a women’s web series titled Let’s Talk and was Executive Producer on the CBS/LA talk show HOLA L.A. He also appeared as the lethal enforcer Cesar in the Showtime cable series Weeds. Enrique is currently co-producing and co-directing a documentary on the origins of the youth mariachi movement titled Ugly Little Monkeys.As an author, Enrique published his novel, “The Dead of Summer.”

Credit

• David E Valdez - Director
• Enrique Castillo - Director
• Tina Huerta - Writer
• Thelma Gutierrez - Writer
• Karina Castillo - Writer
• Enrique J Castillo - Writer
• Richard Moreno - Producer
• Enrique J Castillo - Producer
• David E Valdez - Producer
• Wilfred Arvizu - Key Cast
• Adalberto Gallegos - Key Cast
• David Ruiz - Key Cast
• Mack Ruiz - Key Cast
• Gilbert Velez - Key Cast
• Randy Carrillo - Key Cast
• Steve Carrillo - Key Cast
• Keith Hungate - Key Cast
• Robert Bourland - Key Cast
• Ricardo Molina - Key Cast
• Rafael Hinton - Key Cast
• Cosme Barcelo - Key Cast
• Jose Federico - Key Cast
• Francisco Escobar - Key Cast
• Jerry Gay - Key Cast
• Frank Felix - Key Cast
• Anthony Felix - Key Cast
• Pete Saldivar - Key Cast
• Charles Anthony - Key Cast
• Linda Ronstadt - Key Cast
• Rubén Fuentes - Key Cast
• Ernesto Portillo, Sr. - Key Cast
• Marcia Grand - Executive Producers
• Edward James Olmos - Executive Producers
• Justin Kreinbrink - Executive Producers
• David E Valdez - Executive Producers

David Valdez

[email protected]

Host or Publisher Film Festival at Hollywood Park