GOING VARSITY IN MARIACHI
DOCUMENTARY FEATURE | 104 minutes | USA | 2023 | English | Color
In the competitive world of high school mariachi, the musicians from the South Texas borderlands reign supreme. Under the guidance of coach Abel Acuña, the teenage captains of Edinburg North High School’s acclaimed team must turn a shoestring budget and diverse crew of inexperienced musicians into state champions.
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Sundance Film Festival | Jan 22-29, 2023 | Editing Award
True/False Film Fest | Mar 2-5, 2023 | Show Me Featured Film
SXSW | Mar 13-19, 2023
Cleveland Int'l Film Fest | Mar 22-Apr 1, 2023
Doc10 | May 4-7, 2023 | Closing Night Film
MountainFilm Festival | May 25-29, 2023
Guadalajara International Film Fest | Jun 3-9, 2023 | Intn’l Premiere
Nantucket Film Festival | Jun 21-26, 2023
Oak Cliff Film Festival | Jun 22, 2023 | Opening Night Film
filmNEWPORT | Jun 29. 2023
Sundance in London | Jul 7, 2023
CineFestival San Antonio | Jul 26,2023 | Opening Night Film
Ojai Film Series | Jul 28, 2023 | Opening Night Film
Martha's Vineyard Film Week | Aug 1, 2023
Rooftop Films | Aug 4-6, 2023
South Texas Intn'l Film Festival | Sep 15, 2023
Calgary Intnl Film Festival | Sep 21-Oct 1, 2023
AFI Latin American Film Festival | Sep 21-Oct 11, 2023
Loft Film Festival, Tucson | Oct 11, 2023 | Opening Night Film
Seattle DocFest | Oct 5-12, 2023 | Opening Night Film
Hot Springs Doc Film Festival | Oct 6-14, 2023
Cine Latino Minneapolis | Oct 11-15, 2023
Philadelphia Film Festival | Oct 19-29, 2023
Indie Memphis Film Festival | Oct 24-29, 2023
Festival Internacional de Cine de Morelia | Oct 20-29, 2023
AFI Fest | Oct 25-29, 2023
Virginia Film Festival | Oct 25-29, 2023
SFFilm Doc Stories | Nov 3-5, 2023 | Educational Spotlight Screening
Houston Cinema Arts Festival | Nov 9-14, 2023
Denver Film Festival | Nov 3-12, 2023
CineSol | Dec 1, 2023 | Best of Fest
Palm Springs Intn'l Film Festival | Jan 4-15, 2024 | Best of Fest
Going Varsity in Mariachi
was given the Editing Award for U.S. Documentary at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival.
DIRECTED BY
Alejandra Vasquez & Sam Osborn
PRODUCED BY
Julia Pontecorvo
James Lawler
Luis A. Miranda, Jr.
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY
Michael Crommet
SOUND RECORDIST
Charlie Vela
EDITOR
Daniela I. Quiroz
SCORE
Camilo Lara & Demian Galvez
PARTNERS
Fifth Season
Impact Partners
Embeleco Unlimited
JustFilms | Ford Foundation
The Los Angeles Times
“The film wins you over with its cinema verite depictions of teens being teens. Under the guidance and leadership of director Abel Acuña, the young musicians master mariachi staples such as ‘Volver, Volver’ and ‘El Rey’ as they navigate everyday high school life — applying to college, making prom proposals and learning how to drive.
But perhaps ‘Going Varsity in Mariachi’s’ biggest achievement is that it offers a refreshing portrayal of the border rarely seen in film, television or the news. It’s not a narrative about immigration or border enforcement, but rather it’s a documentary about cultural traditions being preserved and passed on to the next generation.”
— Latinx Files: ‘Going Varsity in Mariachi’ is the narrative the border deserves