WATCH: This Latin gay cowboy love story brings some Western sizzle to East L.A.
A Strange Way Of Life to hit theaters next month, there’s another Spanish-language short film about gay cowboys galloping our way.And, thankfully—to borrow a classic Western phrase—this town’s big enough for both the both of ’em.From writer-director Daniel Eduvijes Carrera, El Paisa is a slice-of-life queer coming-of-age story that doubles as a modern cowboy tale set in East Los Angeles, one that shines a light on the diversity of the city’s Latin community.Our protagonist is Fernando (Cristian Urbina in their debut role), a different kind of “lone ranger” who skates around town and rocks some goth makeup.
He’s clearly carving out an identity of his own, but his reluctance to speak in Spanish—even to his own mother—shows us he may have some hang-ups about his Latin-American heritage.One day, Fernando is attacked by some gang members, only to be rescued by an a mysterious man (David Ty Reza) dressed head to toe like a classic cowboy, almost like he was a hero in a classic Western movie.Later, an intrigued Fernando follows the cowboy to a Latin gay club, where he’s immediately taken aback by the diversity of folks there, dancing and laughing, none of whom fitting into the stereotypes of what he’s always assumed Latin-American people were meant to be.You can watch a teaser for the short film below:Actually filmed around East L.A., El Paisa captures a part of the city infrequently seen on screen, showcasing landmarks historically significant to its sizable Latine community.It’s also super sexy, especially as Fernando can’t help but feel drawn to the tall, dark, and handsome stranger who may have just saved his life.
