s part of Mexico Day — April 11 , the festival will award the legendary Mexican American band Los Tigres del Norte with an Icon Award during a special celebration . The band , which started in San Jose , California in the

1960s , is one of the most popular in Norteño Music on both sides of the border . “ La Puerta Negra ,” “ Golpes en el Corazón ,” “ De Paisano a Paisano ” are just a few of their hit songs that have resonated with audiences across the United States and Mexico .

In addition , the festival will honor San Juan Bautista ’ s Luis Valdez , known as the father of Chicano film , for his work in film and theater . Valdez is best known for his play “ Zoot Suit ” and his unforgettable and world-renown film La Bamba . Muralist and local visual artist José Ortiz will also be honored with an Icon Award for his work and the positive impact he has had in the local community . Other awards being presented include Jury ’ s Choice and Community Achievement .

There will also be a special screening of Bullies , a feature-length film described as giving a voice to those who are aggressively intimidated , abused , or dominated by others . Festival organizers see the film as especially relevant after the tragic 2019 Garlic Festival shootings . Following the film , a panel will discuss the problem of bullying and will purportedly provide some proven solutions . Other moderated panels of industry professionals scheduled during the festival include a Woman ’ s Panel , Industry Panel and Visual Effects Panel .

As part of the festival ’ s goal to “ foster community engagement ,” four guided workshops — Young Filmmakers , Millennial ’ s Music Video , Filmmaking for 40 and Up , and Veteran ’ s Documentary Focusing on Vietnam — will be held during the run-up to the festival . Geared toward film enthusiasts who want to try their hand at filmmaking , the workshops provide a meaningful and rewarding experience for participants who get to collaborate on short films from start to finish . The workshop films will be included in this year ’ s festival program .

Tickets for day passes to view daily blocks of films on various topics will be available for $ 25 . For the die-hard film enthusiast , a full festival pass with unlimited viewing and admission to all events will be available for $ 150 . View their website at pjiff . org for the full schedule and ticket options .

Lights , camera , action ! It is time to pop some corn and curl up in front of your favorite mobile device , smart TV or laptop and join an international viewing audience for the 2021 premiere of the South Valley ’ s own Poppy Jasper International Film Festival .

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GILROY • MORGAN HILL • SAN MARTIN SPRING 2021 gmhtoday . com