An announcement from Marian Monta

When four guys named David get involved with film scripts during the same year, the result is three movies being shot on Hidalgo County, turning it into Hidalgo Hollywood.

A coincidence that any writer would love caused four industry professionals with the same first name and strong Valley connections to work on three scripts set in Hidalgo County and filmed here. One has finished filming, one is currently being filmed and the third expects to start shooting at a later date.

David Barrera stars in the film Seven Days, along with Mando Alvarado and Michael Escamilla, who wrote the script. The story is of a young Mexican who has seven days to enter the country illegally and get to Huntsville to see his father before the dad is executed.

This film features several Valley natives and PSJA alumni who are now professional actors.  David Barrera, Mando Escamilla, JJ Perez and Rene Garza, Executive Producer, completed shooting in May and are currently seeking funding for post production. San Juan was the principal location in the film.

David Carren, a new professor in the theatre-television-film component of The University of Texas Pan American’s Communication Department, wrote The Red Queen, to be produced as a Summer Workshop project. Currently being filmed in various locations in the greater Edinburg area, the cast and crew is comprised principally of UTPA students and alumni.

One noted alumnus, Valente Rodriguez, came in from Los Angeles to play the part of Professor Jose Salinas, a central character who is a UTPA professor with a remarkable past. Two other Screen Actors Guild performers are featured in the production: Harley Jane Kozak and Estephania LeBaron .

Shooting for the film should wrap in early July, and post production begins immediately. Another UTPA graduate, Emmy winning editor Steven Escobar, has volunteered to edit the film as an in-kind contribution to his alma mater.

Two Davids were involved in the film script for Los Scavengers. Edcouch native David Rice and Austin resident David Garcia collaborated with Elsa native Valente Rodriguez on the final film script. Negotiations are currently under way for the film start.

Although the principal characters are four adventurous adolescent boys from the delta area, several Screen Actors Guild members have agreed to play the parts of the adult characters in the film, which will be shot in the vicinity of Edcouch and Elsa.

In addition to sharing careers as film makers, each one has his own reason for being excited about his current project.

Barrera says that it is “both a dream and a challenge” to shoot a film in his home town of San Juan, Texas”.  “This place made me who I am. Now, I get to come back to tell one of its stories like no one else in Hollywood can. Growing up in the Valley the story of immigration be it legal or illegal is something we come up against in our day to day existence. We have a perspective on it that no one else shares and no one else can relate to quite like us. It is now our time to let the rest of the world know about this unique and story-filled place we call “El Valle”.

David Rice said, “I know the valley has lots of creative talent: Music, Dancing, Art, Writing, and Acting. But we need to create the space and opportunity so that folks from the valley can share their work. We have seen many valley towns setting aside funding for the arts, so it’s happening. All we need is just for one to breakout at a national level and everyone will see how much more there is in the Rio Grande Valley. It’s going to happen.”

“There’s no reason we can’t build a regional film industry here,” said Carren. “All we need are good stories and good actors. The UTPA theater program has developed the actors; this cast is the best I’ve ever worked with. And the Valley, its rich culture and history, offers wonderful story material. They call the Austin film community the Third Coast. We make enough movies here, the Rio Grande Valley will be the Fourth Coast.”

More than just the name and location of their scripts unite the four Davids. All of them are committed to telling the wonderful stories this area has to offer. All of them take pride in their Valley connections and want to help make the Valley a film center in the future. Each has a vested interest in making this area an integral part of the cinema community.

Yet another link exists among them. Valente Rodriguez, a successful actor based in Los Angeles is very excited about the possibility of developing a film community here and has offered to help each film in whatever way he can.

He said,:” I remember when I was a child my mother used to get me to go to sleep, in those unusually hot Texas nights, by  gently calling for a cool breeze.  She would sing “Barbas de oro,  Barbas de oro” . At the time she was just trying to get a little boy to sleep - but it is one of the most vivid memories I have of my childhood. All of us have stories like this that we remember - and what we are trying to do is prove to ourselves that these stories are valid and entertaining and empowering.

Four Davids, one county, and a community that cares could add up to an entire new industry for this area. It already has sunshine and talent. Now it just needs money and support.