Echo Park is a tough inner city neighbourhood, made up of mainly Hispanic-Americans. Violence, drugs and gangs are part of life here but instead of focusing on the male violence, Allison Anders has centred the narrative around the phenomenon of girl gangs, love and hate, friendship and rivalry as they struggle to fight for their own identity within the gang regime. Sad Girl (Angel Aviles), Mousie (Seidy Lopez) and Ernesto (Jacob Vargas) are the central characters which the film revolves around and the romantic entanglements between Ernesto and Sad Girl and Ernesto and Mousie - whilst initially causing havoc and betrayal - finally unites the three together. There is an underlying feminist feel to this film which includes several other female characters providing narration, depth and a richness to the central theme. Actual gang members were used along with several cameo roles by film directors, musicians and the members of Los Lobos. Cast also includes Panchito Gomez, Julian Reyes, Marlo Marron, Bertila Damas, Ric Salinas, Salma Hayek, Christina Solis, Gabriel Gonzales, Arthur Esquer, Nelida Lopez and Jesse Borrego.
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How to watch
Collection
In ACMI's collection
Credits
Collection metadata
ACMI Identifier
315032
Language
English
Audience classification
MA
Subject categories
Advertising, Film, Journalism, Mass Media & TV → Feminist motion pictures
Anthropology, Ethnology, Exploration & Travel → Hispanic Americans
Economics, Philosophy, Politics, Religion & Sociology → Feminist motion pictures
Economics, Philosophy, Politics, Religion & Sociology → Gangs
Economics, Philosophy, Politics, Religion & Sociology → Hispanic Americans
Economics, Philosophy, Politics, Religion & Sociology → Violence
Economics, Philosophy, Politics, Religion & Sociology → Women
Economics, Philosophy, Politics, Religion & Sociology → Women - Social conditions
Family, Gender Identity, Relationships & Sexuality → Feminist motion pictures
Family, Gender Identity, Relationships & Sexuality → Interpersonal conflict
Family, Gender Identity, Relationships & Sexuality → Violence
Family, Gender Identity, Relationships & Sexuality → Women
Feature films → Feature films - United States
Food, Health, Lifestyle, Medicine, Psychology & Safety → Interpersonal conflict
Food, Health, Lifestyle, Medicine, Psychology & Safety → Violence
Food, Health, Lifestyle, Medicine, Psychology & Safety → Women
Food, Health, Lifestyle, Medicine, Psychology & Safety → Women - Psychology
Sound/audio
Sound
Colour
Colour
Holdings
VHS; Access Print (Section 1)