DIRECTOR’S

STATEMENT

In the Winter of 2017, I walked into a packed bar for Sunday night’s Tejano Night in North Austin. Despite the comforting sound of my father’s favorite music (Tejano) playing above - I couldn’t help but feel like a stranger. I, a Latino who doesn’t speak Spanish, found myself confronted with a familiar insecurity I’ve felt for most of my life. I sat in the corner of the bar and just stayed there, bitter, ashamed, unable to get out of my own way and enjoy the evening. I was an outcast within my own community. But then, I looked up towards the dance floor...

There, a couple consumed in their own world, dancing, like no one was watching, demanding nothing from the room but their space. I admired their confidence, even feeling invited without having exchange a word with them. The sight of these two brought a smile to my face. In a mysterious way, it made me feel like a part of the gathering, and for a brief moment, I was able to forget about my own insecurity.

Years later while at UT Austin, I decided to take this memory and filter it through a humorous and hopeful short film about Latinx identity. Making Tejano Night gave me the opportunity to earn the confidence I lacked that night at the bar years back. It is my hope that those who can identify with MIJO’s story might find comfort in seeing a Mexican-American on-screen accepting themselves for who they are.

- Alex Rosales

PRESS

BEHIND

THE SCENES

BTS Photos captured by Salvador Gutierrez III

AWARDS

& SELECTIONS

2021 & 2022 Awards:

• 1ST PLACE - LMAS Graduate Student Award, Radio Television and Film Department, University of Texas at Austin, 2021

• WINNER - Austin Under the Stars Film Festival, Best Student Short, 2022

• WINNER - ATX Short Film Showcase Best of the Year, Best Drama-Best Director-Best Lead Actor, 2022

• WINNER - ATX Short Film Showcase, August Audience Award Winner, 2022

• WINNER - Cine Las Americas International Film Festival - Hecho en Tejas Audience Award Winner, 2022

• WINNER - OKCine Latino Film Festival, Best Student Film, Best Lead Actor 2022

• WINNER - El Paso Media Fest - Best Student Film, 2022

• WINNER - Deep in the Heart Film Festival, Best Student Film, 2021

• WINNER - Georgetown Film Festival, Best Student Film, 2021

• WINNER - Festival De Cine Latino Americano, Corazon Latino Award, 2021

• WINNER - Cine Miami Fest, Best Student Film, 2021

• FINALIST - HBO MAX Latino Short Film Competition, 2022

• FINALIST - Houston Cinema Arts Festival, 2nd Borders l No Borders Competition, 2021

• FINALIST - NALIP Latino Media Fest - Short Film Showcase (1 of 10 projects selected), 2021

• HONORABLE MENTION - 42 CineFestival, Texas Short, 2021

• NOMINATED - Miami Short Film Festival, Best Drama, 2021

• NOMINATED - Official Latino Film Festival - Nominated, Best Drama, 2021

• NOMINATED - Orlando Film Festival - Nominated, Best Student Film, 2021

• NOMINATED - Deep in the Heart Film Festival, Best Short Film, Best Texas Short, Best Drama Short

• NOMINATED - Palm Springs International ShortFest - Nominated, U.S. Student Film, 2022

Official Selections 2021 & 2022:

• OFFICIAL SELECTION - Brooklyn Film Festival, 2022

• OFFICIAL SELECTION - Austin Under the Stars Film Festival, 2022

• OFFICIAL SELECTION - NewFilmmakers LA, Latino & Hispanic Cinema Showcase, 2022

• OFFICIAL SELECTION - Aladerri International Film Festival, 2022

• OFFICIAL SELECTION - NY City Parks Festival Fridays w/ TIDE Film Festival, August, 2022

• OFFICIAL SELECTION - ATX Short Film Showcase, Best of the Year Competition, 2022

• OFFICIAL SELECTION - ATX Short Film Showcase, August, 2022

• OFFICIAL SELECTION - HyperReal Film Club Summer Film Series w/ Deep Cover, 2022

• OFFICIAL SELECTION - deadCenter Film Festival w/ OKCine Film Festival, 2022

• OFFICIAL SELECTION - Palm Springs International ShortFest, 2022

• OFFICIAL SELECTION - Cine Las Americas International Film Festival, 2022

• OFFICIAL SELECTION - Texas Short Film Showcase at FotoFest, 2022

• OFFICIAL SELECTION - Houston Latino Film Festival, 2022

• OFFICIAL SELECTION - El Paso Media Festival, 2022

• OFFICIAL SELECTION - San Diego Latino Film Festival, 2022

• OFFICIAL SELECTION - Los Angeles Student Film Festival, 2022

• OFFICIAL SELECTION - OKCine Latino Film Festival, 2022

• OFFICIAL SELECTION - NALIP Latino Media Fest, 2021

• OFFICIAL SELECTION - New York Latino Film Festival, 2021

• OFFICIAL SELECTION - Dallas International Film Festival, 2021

• OFFICIAL SELECTION - Philadelphia Latino Film Festival, 2021

• OFFICIAL SELECTION - deadCenter Film Festival, 2021

• OFFICIAL SELECTION - Montclair Film Festival, 2021

• OFFICIAL SELECTION - 42 CineFestival, 2021

• OFFICIAL SELECTION - Official Latino Film & Arts Festival, 2021

• OFFICIAL SELECTION - Indie Memphis Film Festival, 2021

• OFFICIAL SELECTION - Montclair Film Festival, 2021

• OFFICIAL SELECTION - South Texas International Film Festival, 2021

• OFFICIAL SELECTION - Lone Star Film Festival, 2021

• OFFICIAL SELECTION - Latino & Native American Film Festival, 2021

• OFFICIAL SELECTION - Deep in the Heart Film Festival, 2021

• OFFICIAL SELECTION - Hill Country Film Festival, 2021

• OFFICIAL SELECTION - Orlando Film Festival 2021

• OFFICIAL SELECTION - Georgetown Film Festival, 2021

• OFFICIAL SELECTION - Lost River Film Festival, 2021

• OFFICIAL SELECTION - The Corpus Christi Film Festival, 2021

• OFFICIAL SELECTION - San Francisco Latino Film Festival, 2021

• OFFICIAL SELECTION - Festival De Cine Latino Americano - NORTE, 2021

• OFFICIAL SELECTION - Reel East Film Festival, 2021

• OFFICIAL SELECTION - The Tide Film Festival, 2021

• OFFICIAL SELECTION - Centre Film Festival, 2021

• OFFICIAL SELECTION - Houston Cinema Arts Festival, 2021

• OFFICIAL SELECTION - CineSol Film Festival, 2021

• OFFICIAL SELECTION - Rockport Film Festival, 2021

• OFFICIAL SELECTION - Cine Miami Fest, 2021

• OFFICIAL SELECTION - Habitable Spaces Summer Film Festival, 2021

• SEMI FINALIST - Flickers’ Rhode Island Film Festival. 2021

TEASER

TRAILER

#tejanonight