The Frida Cinema
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22nd November 2024
CHUCKY FEST MARATHON PANEL DISCUSSION W/ COUNCILWOMAN JESSIE LOPEZ - The Frida Cinema
On Saturday, November 16th, The Frida Cinema hosted "Chucky Fest," a fundraiser marathon to raise much-needed funds for our non-profit cinema where marathoners braced through five of the Child's Play films. A panel discussion was hosted between the third and fourth films, providing a rich discussion into topics such as Latino Identity, the Importance of Horror, and deeper meanings within the Chucky Films.
The Frida is grateful to have welcomed Santa Ana Councilwoman Jessie Lopez, Justina Bonilla, Veronica Palacios, and Sandra E. de Anda as our panelists for an incredibly insightful and enlightening discussion.
Panel Title: Possession and Power: Chucky Through Latino Fandom, Queer Identity, and Capitalist Critique
About our Moderator
Born and raised in Santa Ana, Santa Ana City Councilwoman Jessie Lopez (Ward 3) is a firm believer in civic engagement and the right to equal treatment and opportunity, and is passionate about empowering community participation. A lifelong Santanera who attended Hoover Elementary, Willard Intermediate and Santa Ana High School, Jessie continued her post-secondary educational career by pursuing an A.A. at Santa Ana College and a B.A. in Sociology at California State University, Long Beach. While working two jobs to support herself through school, Jessie helped organize students to lead campaigns addressing sexual assault on campus, and supported efforts in making higher education more accessible for individuals such as herself. She continues her advocacy alongside community groups in her hometown to fight for equity, accountability and transparency.
About our Panelists
Justina Bonilla is a film journalist with a focus on Latinos in contemporary media, the history of Latinos in Hollywood, as well as their contributions to horror and cult cinema. She began her journey as a volunteer writer for The Frida Cinema's writing group and has since contributed to notable publications like The Hollywood Reporter, HorrorBuzz, and Daily Dead. Justina has also appeared in award-winning Shudder documentaries, including Eli Roth’s History of Horror, 101 Scariest Horror Movie Moments of All Time, and Horror’s Greatest. Her favorite Chucky movie is The Bride of Chucky.
Veronica Palacios is a trans musician and writer based near the heart of Santa Ana. With a BA in Film Production from Cal State Fullerton, she is passionate about developing her screenplays into films. Her love of horror and fascination with the darker aspects of human nature inspire her work across both music and writing. An advocate for the trans community, Veronica also creates online videos to entertain and encourage others to live boldly. She is currently preparing to release new music under the name Vero Muerte.
Sandra E. De Anda is an award-winning writer based in Santa Ana, California. She holds a BA in English from Reed College in Portland, Oregon. Her work has been featured in The LA Times, Voice of OC, Citric Acid, Sin Cesar, The Ear, and the late OC Weekly, where she co-founded the weekly column "Deport This." Sandra has also led introductory writing courses for young writers in Santa Ana, emphasizing social justice and community engagement, supported by funding from the California Creative Corps. Additionally, she conducted original research at the Swedish Film Institute in Stockholm, Sweden, which culminated in her thesis, “The Construction of the Self through a Gendered Discourse in Ingmar Bergman's Films.”
Visit http://thefridacinema.org to learn more about Orange County, CA's only non-profit art house cinema!
