ANGELS IN THE DUST, the documentary about the Bothshabelo orphanage in South Africa won it's second award in it's second film festival.

Seattle International Film Festival
Best Documentary Special Jury Prize

Here are a few reviews:

Seattle Times

Arts & Entertainment

The Stranger

Thompson on Hollywood Indies

Standing ovation for MADE IN LA at the Mann in Westwood




With the crew and people in the film

No not Paris, Las Vegas, not Paris, Hilton but Paris, France. Selections from MISA AZTECA will be performed at the Festival De Saint-Denis in the Saint-Denis Basilica in Paris, France next Monday, June 18, 2007 at 8:30p. The "Sanctus" and "Gloria" will be performed by the Harmonies Girl's choir directed by Antonio Espinal accompanied by UCLA professor Christoph Bull on organ and yours truly on percussion and classical guitar. It will be recorded and broadcast by Radio France.

These are special musical arrangements I have made for this very special and talented little choir. MISA AZTECA is an eight movement piece for symphony orchestra, mixed choir, soloists and percussion ensemble. It is sung in Latin, Spanish and Nahuatle. It has been performed all over the world including Carnegie Hall, the Sydney Opera House, Sorbonne University and American Cathedral in Paris and opened the Cervantino Music and Arts Festival in Mexico. Yet, it has never been performed in Los Angeles - hmm, isn't that funny? Any takers? ;=)


Harmonies Girls Choir and director Antonio Espinal
Photo by Mike Ridgewell

A new documentary I scored, MADE IN LA, will have it's world premiere at the Silverdocs documentary film festival in Washington D.C.
It will screen Friday, June 15th at 7:30p and Saturday, June 16th at 12:45p.



MADE IN LA
Directed By: Almudena Carracedo
Producers: Robert Bahar, Almudena Carracedo
Cinematographer: Almudena Carracedo
Editors: Lisa Leeman, Almudena Carracedo
Music: Joseph Julian Gonzalez

This was another wild ride into film scoring madness with lots of late nights with little or no sleep.

I'd like to thank Almudena and Robert for this opportunity score this important documentary.

Once again, the Simple Music Production team pulls through:

Keith Stark, score mixer, recording engineer and all-around music dude; Leticia Sierra, violinist , Pablo Mendez, viola , Elizabeth Wright, cello, Emiliano Herrera, conjunto accordion


Visit my myspace page to hear a preview of the score.

ANGELS IN THE DUST will screen Thursday, June 14th at 7p and Saturday, June 16 at 1:30p at the Seattle Film Festival.

A wealthy Johannesburg family abandons their comfortable existence and spends their life savings to establish an orphanage in a village where 50% of the population is HIV-positive. This powerful documentary celebrates how children who are surrounded by death and tragedy can be instilled with strength and hope for a better tomorrow.



Director Louise Hogarth is scheduled to attend both screenings.

DIRECTOR: Louise Hogarth
Producer: James Egan, Louise Hogarth
Editor: Melinda Briana Epler, May Rigler, Johanna Demetrakos
Screenwriter: Louise Hogarth
Cinematographer: May Rigler
Music: Simphiwe Dana, Joseph Julián González

Participant Website

A new documentary I scored, MADE IN LA, will show at the LA Film Festival Saturday, June 23 at noon at the Mann Festival Theater in Westwood. Admission is free!



In 1946, French poet René Char wrote, “He who joined the Resistance, found himself.” Something similar happens to the garment workers in this documentary when they embark on a three-year odyssey to win basic labor protections from mega-trendy clothing retailer Forever 21. In intimate vérité style, filmmaker Almudena Carracedo chronicles the lives of three Latina sweatshop workers who endure 14-hour days and soul-crushing conditions in L.A.’s Fashion District. The drama lies in the length of their struggle. As their initial euphoria gives way to fear and frustration, Carracedo perseveres with them, revealing the incredible courage it takes to bring about real political change.

Directed By: Almudena Carracedo
Producers: Robert Bahar, Almudena Carracedo
Cinematographer: Almudena Carracedo
Editors: Lisa Leeman, Almudena Carracedo
Music: Joseph Julian Gonzalez

Dan Guerrero's hilarious GAYTINO! will be performed as part of the Latino Laugh Festival in Los Angeles from June 22nd to June 24th. Dan will amaze the audience with this one-(gay)man show Saturday, June 23 at 7:30p.



Written and performed by Dan Guerrero
Directed by Diane Rodriguez

"A lovable wit… infectious lunacy!"
--Los Angeles Times


From Ethel Merman to Mariachi, Stephen Sondheim to Cesar Chávez, actor/producer Dan Guerrero tells all in ¡Gaytino!, his hilarious and touching autobiographical one-man show. Through memories and song, Guerrero traces his relationship with his late father, National Medal of Arts recipient and "father of Chicano music" Lalo Guerrero, to his time as a Broadway agent--he once represented child star Sarah Jessica Parker!--and current life in Los Angeles. Together, his stories form a remarkable journey through the gay experience and Chicano culture and history. Don't miss this compelling performance from an artist hailed by Hispanic Magazine as "one of the 25 most powerful Latinos in Hollywood."

Press Release

Even though COWBOY DEL AMOR was released over two years ago in 2005, it is still winning awards, sort of. Actually, what has happened is a review of COWBOY DEL AMOR won an award given by the Peninsula Press Club to Justin DeFreitas of The Berkely Daily Planet.

He must have really liked the doc since he considered worthy of an Academy Award nomination.

I'm not sure if this qualifies for an actual award for COWBOY DEL AMOR but what the heck. I wonder what Ivan would say.