The Plaza Classic Podcast is hosted by KVIA news anchor and three-time Regional Edward R. Murrow Award-winner Borderland Crimes podcaster Stephanie Valle and EPCC Mass Communication Professor Lisa Elliott. Valle and Elliott are members of the Plaza Classic Film Festival Program Advisory Committee. The podcast is produced in partnership with EPCC and the El Paso Community Foundation. Each episode features guests ranging from committee members to filmmakers who delve into a different aspect of ...
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El Paso Community Foundation Podcasts
Join Clark Hill’s Angeline Chen, a leading immigration attorney, in discussing the impacts of US immigration law and policy. On Immigration Today, Angeline interviews leaders, experts, advocates and volunteers in immigration and immigrant rights on the issues, their experiences and their advice on how YOU can make a difference.
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Luis Valdez influenced a generation of Latinos and Latinas when he showcased their stories on the big screen in the 1980s. The director was the special guest during the first weekend of the 2025 Plaza Classic Film Festival, appearing before the screenings of La Bamba on Friday, July 18 and Zoot Suit on Saturday, July 19. The following interview wit…
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Location matters when it comes to setting up a business, buying a house, and filming a movie. Jacob Cena knows El Paso like the back of his hand. It's one of his most prized assets as the Borderland's trusted location scout. Cena will delve deeper into his craft during the Filmmaker's Brunch, which takes place on the last day of the Plaza Classic F…
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Not all the movies shown during the Plaza Classic Film Festival are classics in the traditional sense of the word. Some are making their debut on the big screen during the festival. Local filmmaker Diego Munoz Holguin has the honor of screening several of his short films at the Plaza. Munoz talks to podcast hosts Stephanie Valle and Lisa Elliott ab…
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Luis Valdez and Veronica Cartwright may not be household names, but they have both played large roles in some memorable films you surely have seen. Valdez directed "Zoot Suit" with Edward James Olmos and "La Bamba" with Lou Diamond Phillips; Cartwright portrayed both Cathy, the teen girl in "The Birds," and Lambert in "Alien." And both stars will b…
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If you're a fan of "Notting Hill" starring Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant, then you're in luck. The 1999 rom-com is the star of the newest date night event held during the Plaza Classic Film Festival. The "I'm Just a Girl" Dinner is on Monday, July 21 with a screening of "Notting Hill" to follow. In this episode, podcast hosts Lisa Elliott and Stepha…
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Do you know the story behind the most famous pitch in film history? It was for 1979's Alien. Legend has it, the screenwriters told the studio heads three words: "Jaws in space." The power of the pitch is clear, and there will be a workshop during the Plaza Classic Film Festival to help writers finesse that much-needed skill. El Paso Film Commission…
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2025 marks the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. As part of a massive collaborative effort, the Plaza Classic Film Festival is teaming up with FIVE of El Paso's museums to showcase "Hollywood Goes to War," the festival's major theme commemorating the anniversary. Podcast hosts Stephanie Valle and Lisa Elliott are joined in studio by repr…
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El Pasoan Ron Stallworth had an eventful career in law enforcement. He helped sabotage KKK activities in Colorado Springs as an undercover member of the Klan, and he also uncovered Bloods and Crips activity in Salt Lake City's Mormon Country. His true life stories are more fascinating than fiction, prompting screenwriters to bring his published mem…
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The sequel to the Star Wars, the 1977 sci-fi film that defined the genre and shaped a generation, is blasting its way onto the Plaza Classic Film Festival schedule this summer. Jaime Mendez, a member of the film festival's advisory committee and an avid Star Wars fan, joins Lisa Elliott and Stephanie Valle to convince them -- and all of you -- that…
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Do you remember when the Mighty Wurlitzer organ was encased in glass near the food court in Sunland Park Mall? That was just one unlikely stop before the classic instrument returned to its home in the Plaza Theatre. Gary L. Williams, the Vice President of Programs for the El Paso Community Foundation, and Richard Garven, Organist-Choirmaster Emerit…
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The Master of Suspense is making his mark on the Plaza Classic Film Festival once again. Alfred Hitchcock's Notorious (1946), featuring Ingrid Bergman and Cary Grant, will screen during the festival, which takes over Downtown El Paso July 17-27, 2025. The festival Advisory Committee's Hitchcock expert, Leanne von Mittenwald, joins podcast hosts Lis…
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A silent film that partly takes place in the Borderland is making its Plaza Classic Film Festival debut this summer. When "Her Husband's Trademark" lights up the Plaza Theatre screen on July 27, it will feature something it didn't have when it premiered in 1922: an original score. You could say this moment was over 100 years in the making. But in a…
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2025 marks the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, and as more and more Americans who witnessed the tragedies firsthand are lost to time, it's more important than ever to study this moment in history. A wartime movie doesn't always depict violence on the battlefield. They can also capture the mood of a nation at a time when its soldiers ar…
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El Pasoan Terri Rutter grew up around horses. She rides them, trains them, and trains people how to behave around them. Now, she's sharing her horse sense with Lisa and Stephanie. She's talking about her favorite films featuring fillies (and mares, colts, and stallions) that have been featured at the Plaza Classic Film Festival, and the ones she'd …
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This Women's History Month, the Plaza Classic Podcast wants to take a moment to spotlight a showcase focused on local female filmmakers. Femme Frontera is both a Borderland-based organization of Latine women and gender-expansive filmmakers and a curated film selection featured during the classic film fest since 2019. Filmmakers Jackie Barragan and …
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Each award season, the dedicated cinephiles on the Plaza Classic Film Festival Advisory Committee try to guess who the voting members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will pick to win Oscars. This contest isn't just for bragging rights. The winner of the Oscar Ballot Contest gets to select one movie to screen during that year's Pl…
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Whether he knew too much, shot the bad guy, or arrived to Earth from space, a man sure can accomplish a lot on the big screen. Film critic Felipa Solis joins Plaza Classic Podcast hosts Lisa Elliott and Stephanie Valle to talk about the various takes on "The Man Who..." -- specifically, Alfred Hitchcock's two renditions of The Man Who Knew Too Much…
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Attention local filmmakers: for the eighth consecutive year, the Plaza Classic Film Festival is accepting entries for its Local Flavor showcase and awards. More than $3,500 in cash prizes will be awarded. PCFF Artistic Director Doug Pullen, AKA "Friend of the Pod," is back in the studio with Stephanie and Lisa to talk about the showcase, which is s…
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If you've ever watched a building renovation show, you know there's a whole lot of work to rehabilitate an old structure to its original glory. That same labor intensive effort went into the restoration of the Plaza Theatre in Downtown El Paso. Gary Williams, the Vice President of Programs for the El Paso Community Foundation, and Neal Vogel, the P…
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She's the "Star Whisperer of El Paso!" For the last decade or so, Kathrin Berg has taken on the task of touring El Paso with the Plaza Classic Film Festival's special guests -- from Sam Elliott, to Kathleen Turner, to Al Pacino. Now, Kathrin is in the spotlight and getting the red carpet treatment she deserves! Hosts Stephanie Valle and Lisa Elliot…
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44. How a DACA Organizer Became a Leading Activist For Immigration Rights in El Paso – Claudia Yoli Ferla, Executive Director at MOVE Texas
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On the 44th episode of Immigration Today!, Angeline Chen welcomes Claudia Yoli Ferla. Claudia is the Executive Director at MOVE Texas, a nonprofit organization working to build the social, cultural, and political power of young people in Texas. She is a dedicated community organizer born in Venezuela and raised in El Paso, Texas. A proud DACA recip…
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Chance meetings, heartbreaking obstacles and big gestures of love are all crucial to the plots of our favorite romantic comedies. On the eve of this lover's holiday, podcast hosts Lisa Elliott and Stephanie Valle are joined by Erin Ritter, fellow Plaza Classic Film Festival advisory committee member and self-proclaimed Rom-Com guru, to discuss roma…
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Evan George Vourazeris broke into Hollywood when he was cast as Tuck on the hit Netflix show Ozark. Tuck became a fan favorite, and Vourazeris appeared on the show in its final season in 2022. Vourazeris, a Houstonian, now calls El Paso home. He joined Plaza Classic Podcast hosts Stephanie Valle and Lisa Elliott in studio to talk about his experien…
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If you were old enough to see Jaws when it premiered in theaters in 1975, then you likely don't want to be reminded that happened 50 years ago. Sorry. But Jaws, which has been screened three times at the Plaza Classic Film Festival, is just one of many movies celebrating significant anniversaries of release in 2025. Festival advisory committee memb…
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Sequels can get a bad rap for not living up to the expectations set by the original. With that perspective front of mind, the Plaza Classic Podcast aims to make season 3 better than before! Hosts Stephanie Valle and Lisa Elliott are joined by fellow Plaza Classic Film Festival advisory committee member Craig Holden to talk about film sequels. Which…
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43. Storytelling as a Tool for Social Change – Dr. Pierre R. Berastain, Interim Executive Director at Centre for Public Impact
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On the 43rd episode of Immigration Today!, Angeline Chen welcomes Dr. Pierre R. Berastain. Dr. Pierre Berastaín is the Interim Executive Director of the Centre for Public Impact (CPI). CPI was founded in 2015 as a not-for-profit foundation dedicated to improving the effectiveness of governments and public institutions worldwide. Dr. Berastaín joine…
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Will Wicked sweep the Oscars with a witch's broom? Could Demi Moore's substantive performance in The Substance earn her an Academy Award nomination for the first time? El Paso's favorite film critic, Felipa Solis, joins hosts Stephanie Valle and Lisa Elliott to talk all things Oscars. Solis is a member of the Critics Choice Association. Get your po…
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42. How Newly Arrived Immigrants are Adjusting to America Via the Classroom – Jessica Lander, Teacher at Lowell High School and Author of Making Americans
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On the 42nd episode of Immigration Today!, Angeline Chen welcomes Jessica Lander. Jessica Lander is an award-winning teacher, author, and advocate. She is currently a teacher at Lowell High School in Lowell, Massachusetts. She teaches history and civics to recent immigrant students and has won several teaching awards, including being named a Top 50…
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Holiday Movies at Winterfest are taking over Downtown El Paso until Jan. 5, and they're all free! The mini film fest is presented by the El Paso Community Foundation Plaza Classic Film Festival, El Paso Live, and the City of El Paso. What's your favorite holiday movie? Chances are, it features a lovable scamp, like Buddy the Elf or Kevin McAllister…
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The time between Spooky Season and the Holiday Season is the Serious Season - for movies, that is. November is when we typically see a roll-out of heavier films that go on to become contenders for Academy Awards (a.k.a., future classics to be screened at the Plaza Classic Film Festival). Nov. 27, 2024 marks the 48th anniversary of the release of Ne…
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Patrick Swayze became a heartthrob in the 1980s, and broke hearts when he died at age 57 after a brief battle with pancreatic cancer. The star of Dirty Dancing and Ghost has been gone for 15 years, but Stephanie Valle and Lisa Elliott are doing everything they can to preserve his legacy by advocating for the screening of as much of his filmography …
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It will begin to look a lot like Christmas in El Paso come Nov. 23, when WinterFest blasts through downtown. Even though it pains Lisa Elliott and Stephanie Valle to skip over Thanksgiving, in this episode, they're talking turkey about Free Holiday Movies at WinterFest. A dozen films are showing from Nov. 24 to Jan. 5, 2025 at both the Plaza Theatr…
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It was a dark and stormy night, and Lisa and Stephanie were working late at the office on the latest episode of the Plaza Classic Podcast, when suddenly the door creaked open. There stood-- Okay, clearly writing classic noir is not our forte. But we do enjoy talking about our favorite film noir with Leanne von Mittenwald, a retired educator who tea…
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Spending Spooky Season with the Final Girl
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What's your favorite scary movie? That's not just an appropriately dropped quote from the slasher hit Scream, it's also the focus of this special Halloween episode of the Plaza Classic Podcast. Hosts Lisa Elliott and Stephanie Valle talk about their favorite horror films as well as the popularity of the genre across the country. Plus, they're joine…
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41. Getting Out the Vote! - Antonio Arellano VP of Communications at NextGen America
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On the 41st episode of Immigration Today!, Angeline Chen welcomes Antonio Arellano. Antonio Arellano is the VP of Communications at NextGen America, the nation’s largest youth voting organization which mobilizes millions of young voters every year. He is also a 1st generation immigrant and a former DACA recipient. He has been organizing communities…
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October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and the Plaza Classic Podcast wants to shine a light on how this vast societal problem is depicted in the movies. Plaza Classic Film Festival Advisory Committee member and licensed therapist Kristin Trick joins hosts Lisa Elliott and Stephanie Valle to talk about on-screen intimate partner violence. If …
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From the eastside to the lower valley, and up to the westside, El Paso was dotted with drive-in theater screens. Plaza Classic Film Festival Advisory Committee member and UTEP Assistant Dean of Students Jaime Mendez joins Lisa Elliott and Stephanie Valle to talk about a time when it was totally acceptable for families to hide friends and family in …
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During the COVID pandemic in the summer of 2020, organizers scrambled to find a way to salvage the Plaza Classic Film Festival schedule without sacrificing safety. They resorted to screening movies the old-fashioned way: at the drive-in. Plaza Classic Film Festival Advisory Committee member and film historian Jay Duncan revisits El Paso's rich hist…
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40. Dr. Jason De Leon, Anthropologist and Author of Soldiers and Kings: Survival and Hope in the World of Human Smuggling
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On the 40th episode of Immigration Today!, Angeline Chen welcomes Dr. Jason De Leon. Dr. Jason De León is a professor of Anthropology and Chicana/o Studies and director of the Cotsen Institute of Archaeology at the University of California, Los Angeles. He is also the Executive Director of the Undocumented Migration Project, a 501(c)(3) research, a…
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The El Paso Community Foundation helped revitalize the Plaza Theatre in 2006, with help from the City of El Paso. Soon after, the films were back in the theatre, too, with the launch of the first incarnation of the Plaza Classic Film Festival: Movies Return to the Plaza. Eric Pearson, the president of the EPCF, joins hosts Stephanie Valle and Lisa …
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Season 2 of the Plaza Classic Podcast launches with a conversation about a different film festival. The Oculto Film Fest was created by filmmakers from El Paso and Ciudad Juarez to promote horror and fantasy cinema in the Borderland. The festival offers a complete experience to its audiences and provides connection and visibility opportunities for …
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La segunda temporada del Plaza Classic Podcast comienza con una conversación sobre un festival de cine diferente. El Oculto Film Fest fue creado por cineastas de El Paso y Ciudad Juárez para promover el cine de terror y fantasía en la frontera. El festival ofrece una experiencia completa a sus audiencias y brinda oportunidades de conexión y visibil…
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BONUS: Plaza Classic Podcast Behind the Scenes
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If you've listened to the credits of this podcast, you hear hosts Stephanie Valle and Lisa Elliott thank several crucial people working behind the scenes. One of those people is Marcos Tellez-Rodriguez, podcast editor, recent graduate of El Paso Community College and current film student at New Mexico State University. Marcos is now sitting (somewh…
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BONUS: Behind the Scenes at the Plaza Classic Film Fest
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Podcast hosts Stephanie Valle and Lisa Elliott go behind the scenes with someone who helps behind the scenes at the Plaza Classic Film Festival. (We're going way behind the scenes!) Rudy Vasquez is the El Paso Community Foundation's Marketing Director, and he helps promote the film fest to El Paso and across the nation. Stephanie and Lisa get Rudy …
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On July 20, actor Mira Sorvino graced the stage of the Plaza Theatre in Downtown El Paso. The Academy Award winner was in the Sun City for the first weekend of the Plaza Classic Film Festival! She sat down for a live, onstage interview with festival advisory committee member and Plaza Classic Podcast co-host Stephanie Valle ahead of the showing of …
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Plaza Classic Podcast 12: Mira Sorvino in El Paso!
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Mira Sorvino, Academy Award winning actor ("Mighty Aphrodite," 1995), was in the Sun City for the 2024 Plaza Classic Film Festival! Terri Rutter, CPA and film festival advisory committee member, joins fellow committee members, Stephanie Valle and Lisa Elliott, to talk about Sorvino and her cult favorite, "Romy and Michele's High School Reunion." Ju…
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Plaza Classic Podcast 11: It Came From...
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Space has inspired filmmakers both past and present. But there is one classic sci-fi film that has actually served as inspiration for writers and directors over the years ever since it arrived in theaters. Plaza Classic Film Festival Advisory Committee member Jay Duncan joins podcast hosts Stephanie Valle and Lisa Elliott to talk about This Island …
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Despite its name, the Plaza Classic Film Festival doesn't just screen classic films. This year, a director who has been featured in Local Flavor will have their first feature-length film make its Texas premiere. Ryan Rox, the director of Hidden Flora, joins podcast hosts Lisa Elliott and Stephanie Valle to talk about their film, which they also wro…
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Plaza Classic Podcast 9: "Goonies never say die"
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The Goonies is just one of the many films programmed during this year's Plaza Classic Film Festival that is geared towards kids of all ages. Advisory Committee member Kristin Trick joins hosts Lisa Elliott and Stephanie Valle to talk about The Goonies (1985), The Secret of NIMH (1982) and a very special screening at the brand-new children's museum …
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Plaza Classic Podcast 8: Sissy Spacek is coming to El Paso!
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Academy Award winning actor and Texas native Sissy Spacek is the first announced guest at the 2024 Plaza Classic Film Festival! Advisory Committee member Craig Holden joins hosts Stephanie Valle and Lisa Elliott to discuss Spacek's filmography, including Coal Miner's Daughter, which she is set to introduce on Saturday, July 27 at 7pm. Holden -- him…
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