This year's Hola Mexico Film Festival, which is taking place May 15-22 in downtown Los Angeles, suddenly is looking a lot more appetizing. This is thanks in no small part to the efforts of Guelaguetza's Bricia Lopez and a few of her friends. On Thursday, May 16, Lopez is opening up her restaurant to host a mezcal-fueled documentary movie screening.

“I only hope that this event will make everyone fall in love with mezcal just like I did,” Lopez says. Subject of said film? Not surprisingly, mezcal. This will be the first screening in the United States of the documentary Viva Mezcal. The night's mezcal lineup includes Tosba, Los Amantes, Wahaka, MonteLobos, Niña del Mezcal and Mina Real Mezcal.

Credit: Hola Mexico

Credit: Hola Mexico

Food for the night will be Oaxacan antojitos from popular Mexican chef Rodolfo Castellanos, who will be cooking in Los Angeles for the first time.

As if a tipsy documentary screening about Mexico's up-and-coming smoky agave liquor with alta cocina-slanted Oaxacan appetizers and free-flowing mezcal isn't enough, there also will be a pretty appetizing food event held a few days later.

La Gran Parrillada (“The Greatest BBQ”) will feature the efforts of some of the most respected chefs in Mexico today, including Aquíles Chávez of Utilisima fame, Pablo Salas, Javier Plascencia and Rodolfo Castellanos. Held in La Plaza de Cultura y Artes' courtyard next to Olvera Street on May 19, the event will include nine winemakers from Baja's Valle de Guadalupe. And based on the background of the event's all-Spanish website, you can count on all-you-can-drink Victoria beer and Milagro tequila, too. Desserts will handled by Mexican chocolatier Jose Ramon Castillo.

Tickets for the Viva Mezcal screening at Guelaguetza are $45 and available here. Tickets for the La Gran Parrillada food event are $40 and available here.

See also:

– Bricia Lopez: Mezcal & Mole

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