News

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  09/05/2023

El Paso Filmmaker makes his World Premiere at the 2023 El Paso Film Festival 

EL PASO – The El Paso Film Festival has announced its 2023 programming line-up. The festival is scheduled to start Thursday September 28, 2023 through Saturday September 30, 2023 at the Philanthropy Theater, The El Paso Museum of Art, and El Paso Convention Center in downtown El Paso. 

El Paso Filmmaker Robert Holguin will be presenting the world premiere of his feature documentary, Blood, Sweat and Beers: The Making of a Comedy-Rock Classic Friday September 29 @ 7:00pm at the Philanthropy Theater in downtown El Paso. Blood, Sweat, and Beers is a documentary that follows The Sloppy Boys, an aspiring comedy rock group, on their journey from Los Angeles to West Texas, where an acclaimed keyboardist and producer, Money Mark, tries to help them write and record their most ambitious album to date.

Money Mark Ramos Nishita is an acclaimed keyboardist and producer who has worked with the likes of The Beastie Boys, David Byrne, Cypress Hill, Yoko Ono, The Yeah Yeah Yeahs and many more.

“I had a great time recording The Sloppy Boys at Sonic Ranch but my cell phone thought I was In Mexico the whole time. So the band still owes me 33 thousand pesos,” said Money Mark.
What happens when three irreverent comedians and a highly respected musician are forced to spend five days living together at a legendary music studio in rural West Texas? The answer is a comedy-rock classic called "Sonic Ranch," and the making of that record was captured in a new feature-length documentary called "Blood, Sweat and Beers."

"Gotcha journalist Robert Holguin brings his sensationalist smear tactics to the big screen with 'Blood, Sweat and Beers,' said Jefferson Dutton of the Sloppy Boys. “Don't believe a word of it!"

From raunchy lyrics to absurdly catchy melodies, The Sloppy Boys have carved a unique niche in the party-rock landscape. Now they are turning their creative energy toward a new chapter in a documentary that promises to be as entertaining as their performances.

"Two of my biggest loves in life are comedy and music," Holguin said. "And this documentary was a perfect way to bring them both together. The notion came to me at the height of the pandemic, when I really needed a break from serious journalism. I just thought it would be great for audiences to watch these three hilarious guys try to make music with an incredibly talented producer in a place as magical as Sonic Ranch. The end result is a really funny record and what I think is a documentary that celebrates the art of having fun."

The film is a must-see for fans of comedy and for anyone interested in the improvisational moments that can suddenly spring to life when unfiltered artists are forced to collaborate inside a storied recording studio.

The Sloppy Boys are Mike Hanford, Jeff Dutton, and Tim Kalpakis. Prior to forming the band, the trio starred in an IFC sketch comedy television series called The Birthday Boys, which featured Bob Odenkirk as producer and co-star. In recent years the bandmates have started a popular cocktail podcast which is also called The Sloppy Boys.

Join us for the sixth annual El Paso Film Festival at the Philanthropy Theater, The El Paso Museum of Art, and El Paso Convention Center September 28 - 30, 2023 as audiences gain a front row seat and behind the “screen” knowledge of a selection of short and feature films by local, regional, and national filmmakers. VIP Badges and Film Passes are now on sale, for the general public via the El Paso Film Festival website.

Returning partners for this year’s festival include Paso Del Norte Community Foundation, El Paso Film & Creative Industries Commission, MindWarp Films, Losita Productions, El Paso Cardiac, The Hunt Foundation, Star Central Studios, and the Rio Bravo Film Fund.