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Becerra, Alexis <br /> From: Victor Payan <victor@ masamedia.org> <br /> Sent: Thursday, November 20, 2025 2:02 PM <br /> To: eComment <br /> Cc: Zurita, Bianca; Le, Tram <br /> Subject: Arts Commission Public Comment: Media Arts Santa Ana Recent and Upcoming <br /> Programs Update <br /> -Attention: This email originated from outside of City of Santa Ana.Use caution when opening attachments or links. <br /> Hello, Arts Commissioners, <br /> I'm Victor Payan, Founding Director of Media Arts Santa Ana (MASA). We've been quite busy since my last <br /> visit to an Arts Commission meeting, and I wanted to update you on the success of our 16t" OC Film Fiesta <br /> and let you know about some recent programs and great events we have coming up. <br /> First off, I am happy to announce that MASA is celebrating its 10th Anniversary this year! Keep your eyes <br /> open for special 10th Anniversary programming! <br /> In September, we partnered with VAALA to host their Youth in Motion video program. <br /> In October, we presented the 16t" OC Film Fiesta, which continued our commitment to present films by US <br /> and international Latine, BIPOC, AAPI, and MENASA filmmakers, students, women, LGBTQ+, first-time <br /> directors and Orange County filmmakers. We had filmmakers visit from Fresno, Utah, Arizona, Mexico City <br /> and Argentina. Special guests included Chicano film legend Pepe Serna (Scarface, Buckaroo Banzai, <br /> American Me, Car Wash), and Rossana de Leon, one of the stars of Eugenio Derbez's Apple TV+ series <br /> Acapulco. <br /> I wanted to share a wonderful review we received from Argentine filmmaker Sebaztian Baz, <br /> Writer/Director/Producer of the short film Sombras Chinas, which we screened. <br /> "OC Film Fiesta is one of those festivals that arrives without noise but stays with you forever. It's an <br /> intimate, welcoming festival with a huge spirit and an even bigger heart. From day one, I found a team <br /> driven not only by passion but by a kind of human warmth that is rare in the festival world. <br /> At the helm are Victor Payan and Pocha Pena, who don't just run the festival—they build community. They <br /> make you feel welcome from the very first moment, always attentive and always present. That energy <br /> flows through the entire staff, creating an environment where filmmakers can genuinely share, learn, and <br /> connect. <br /> The curation is exceptional: diverse, thoughtful, and deeply committed to new voices. It's a festival that <br /> embraces originality, freshness, and perspectives that expand the cinematic language. Their selection <br /> celebrates innovation and artistic risk, making it a unique home for independent cinema. <br /> OC Film Fiesta opens doors—to new narratives, new aesthetics, and filmmakers seeking that first space <br /> where they can be truly seen. It understands that the future of cinema lies not only in industry but in <br /> creativity, artistic honesty, and personal storytelling. <br /> I leave deeply grateful. OC Film Fiesta won my heart — and it is definitely a festival I hope to return to. <br /> - Sebaztian Baz - Argentine Writer/ Director / Producer of Sombras Chinas <br /> 1 <br />