The Ojai Film Society opens their free summer series in Libbey Bowl on July 28th with "Going Varsity in Mariachi" about the world of competitive high school mariachi in south Texas. The film is fresh off its warm reception at the Sundance Film Festival.

Filmmakers Alejandro Vasquez and Sam Osborn bring this vibrant world to life through the highs and lows of the Edinburgh North High School's mariachi team as they vie for the state championship. Coach Abel Acuña molds his musicians not just in the repertoire but through life's challenges as these students prepare for the next stages of their lives.

"Going Varsity in Mariachi is a testament to their ability to explore identity, cultural roots, and pressing social issues with a nuance that foregrounds frankness, boldness, and joy," reads one review.

Vasquez and Osborn will be on hand at the screening. Joining us is the OFS's Nick Weissman, who shares his own stories about the challenges of documentary filmmaking, and teases his next project. We talked about how they got interested in this project, working with these poised and authentic teenagers, Covid protocols, the kids' personal challenges and much more.

We did not talk about piranha feeding frenzies, hyperbaric chambers or Canada's wildfires.