The 14th annual Lummis Days festival will open with a free screening of an important new documentary film about Los Angeles: “Con Safos: Reflections of Life in the Barrio” by Jimmy Velarde. Admission to this world festival premiere—and to all Lummis Days events—is free.
For four turbulent years between 1968 and 1972, the Lincoln Heights-based literary magazine, Con Safos: Reflections of Life in the Barrio, provided a platform for writers, poets, artists, cartoonists and photographers who captured the experiences of the barrio and the rumblings of the nascent Chicano movement that burst upon the nation’s consciousness during that era. Only eight issues of the grassroots magazine appeared during its initial run (a brief revival in the 1990’s produced an additional four issues) before the magazine was quashed by an FBI raid in which the components of the ninth and tenth issues were seized.
For the documentary “Con Safos: Reflections of Life in The Barrio." filmmaker Jimmy Velarde has assembled many of the magazine’s founders and contributors who recount the inspiration behind the magazine’s publication, the context of the “Movimiento” that coincided with their venture and the passion that often resulted in a highly contentious editorial process.
Among those whose work appeared in Con Safos’ pages were staff photographer Oscar Castillo, whose insightful barrio images have been exhibited at the Smithsonian Institute, the late Jose Montoya, artist and Sacramento’s poet laureate, author and journalist Mario Suarez, and Roberto “Beto” de la Rocha, whose work would be featured in the Los Angeles County Museum of Art’s groundbreaking “Los Four” exhibit. Their work augmented that of the core group of Con Safos founders: Arturo Flores, Ralph Lopez, Sergio Hernandez, John Figueroa, Frank Sifuentes, Rudy Salinas and artist Gilbert “Magu” Lujan.
As the Chicano movement grew in scope and intensity around them, the Con Safos group assessed and re-assessed their role in the changing social landscape: “We were going up to Delano a lot,” recalled Rudy Salinas, “meeting with Cesar, supporting the boycott of grapes down here, supporting the educational struggle.”
And as Gilbert “Magu” Lujan recalled, “What we had was not polish, but we were hitting the right nerves.”
“Con Safos: Reflections of Life in the Barrio” was written, produced and directed by Jimmy Velarde, who has 35 years’ experience in the entertainment industry and is the winner of 10 Emmy Awards for his production work at CBS Television Network and also received a Grammy nomination. Composer Michael O’Neill is a veteran guitarist, multi-instrumentalist, composer and producer who has composed music for dozens of TV shows and films. He has six CD’s to his credit; his latest is a collaborative effort with vocalist/bassist Amin El, simply titled Amin El & Michael O’Neill, “Let It All Go.”
Head writer Antonio “Tony” Gomez” was among the founders of Con Safos magazine. He worked as a social worker and, after receiving his Masters of Library Science from the University of Arizona, as a librarian.
“Con Safos: Reflections of Life in the Barrio” is presented by Lummis Days, the Highland Park Independent Film Festival, Occidental College's Institute for the Study of Los Angeles and the Media Arts and Culture Department.
Thorne Hall is #52 on the campus map, which also indicates nearby parking areas.
