SPEAKERS
JOHN JIMENEZ
Family
ties, and a brotherhood of belonging, set against a backdrop of poverty
and struggle. This was the home of filmmaker John Jimenez - the community
of Oak Park. As well as a physical place, Oak Park was a mind set of survival.
Pushing through that mentality and into a different life was a major motivator
for John. His mother Anita raised three kids, worked nights, got her college
degree by day, and finally moved her family out of Oak Park. Her courage
was a model of determination.
John
has followed her example. Since his teens, he has consistently followed
his goal of becoming a cinematographer. Completely self-taught, at 29 years
old, John has more than a dozen Director of Photography credits for music
videos, commercials, image campaigns and narrative film, as well as two
Emmys for editing accomplishments. In 1996, John shot Blood, Guts, Bullets,
and Octane for Joe Carnahan, a low-budget feature that's been a runaway
success.
Success
came with an internal struggle. How do you keep on climbing and stay connected
with your friends and family? Make a movie, cast your whole family, and
call it Taco Heaven. A cartoony comedic film with a serious undercurrent
inspired by John's own story, Taco Heaven deals with the push-pull
tension that plagues every low-income teenager who wants success, but doesn't
want to pay for it with alienation.