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Marbachumentary

This is an ethnographic documentary that gathers data on a region in the West Side of San Antonio named after the road, Marbach. Many residents in this area were retired veterans, but when bases were shut down, so were job opportunities. This film works to address some of the social issues surrounding the small area in America that also has National implications.

  • Arturo Javier Mireles
    Director
    El Soldado de Marbach, Green Revolution, Colorado's ComedianPrey, Simple Solution
  • Matthew Skinner
    Director
    None
  • Arturo Javier Mireles
    Producer
    Simple Solution (Art Mireles, 2017), Prey (Thomas Kukucka, 2018) , Blackout (Art Mireles, 2019)
  • Matthew Skinner
    Producer
    No Prior Credit
  • Gilbert Rodriguez
    Key Cast
    "Himself"
    Gilbert and the Blue Notes
  • Clifton Simmons
    Key Cast
    "Himself"
  • Arturo Javier Mireles
    Post Production
    Simple Solution (Art Mireles, 2017), Prey (Thomas Kukucka, 2018) , Blackout (Art Mireles, 2019)
  • Project Type:
    Documentary
  • Runtime:
    18 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    September 8, 2020
  • Production Budget:
    20 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    4K downscaled to 1080p
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
  • 2021 Austin Lift-Off Film Festival
    Austin, Texas
    United States
    May 4, 2021
  • 2021 Ethnografilm Festival
    Paris
    France
    Official Selection
  • 2020 Rivercity Underground Film Festival
    San Antonio, Texas
    United States
    Official Selection
Director Biography - Arturo Javier Mireles, Matthew Skinner

Arturo Javier Mireles is from San Antonio, Texas, Arturo Javier Mireles graduated with great honors from the College of Arts and Media at the University of Colorado Denver during the Global Pandemic. He thrives under extreme pressure, something attributed to being a combat infantryman, and has a drive instilled by overcoming his own struggle growing up off Marbach. When he was a student attending the Science and Engineering Academy at John Jay High School, Arturo specialized in film and television being a part of the World of Jay Entertainment News, or WJEN. Arturo now specializes in Writing, Directing, Producing, Editing, Cinematography, Sound Design, & Production Management.

Developing dozens of films, work-shopping treatments for a few of them, I plan on producing my own films. My goal is to own and operate my own studios in San Antonio, Texas, in order to create the art I want to see on screen as well as assist other in the creation of their art as a means to add diversity in cinema.

Featured at:
2017 San Francisco Veteran Film Festival (Simple Solution)
2018 Denver Silent Film Festival (Prey)
2018 Portland Comedy Film Festival (Colorado’s Comedian)
2019 Colorado International Cannabis & Hemp Film Festival (Green Revolution: Proof of Concept)
2020 Rivercity Underground Film Festival (Marbachumentary)
2021 Ethnografilm Festival (Marbachumentary)
2021 Fresh Voices Screenplay Competition Semi-Finalist & Award Nominee (El Soldado De Marbach)
2021 Colorado International Cannabis & Hemp Film Festival (Green Revolution: Senior Thesis)
2021 Military Script Showcase (El Soldado de Marbach)
2021 Austin Lift-Off Film Festival (Marbachumentary)

Matthew Skinner is no stranger to the San Antonio Community and is known from his non profit advocacy work through Beard vs Beans (beardvsbeans.com) with Alzheimer’s Association of San Antonio and South Texas. His former work with his previously owned company Fanboy Media and Art, and Alamo City Comic Con as a content creator/producer/host only prepared him for the moment we’re at now. Marbachumentary is his testament to his community and lifestyle that we can make positive changes in our community if we work for it.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

Arturo Javier Mireles:
This film was made after inspiring Matthew Skinner with my screenplay El Soldado de Marbach. This area has become to be known as "Ghetto," but many of us didn't think it was until others called it such: https://www.sacurrent.com/sanantonio/san-antonians-have-mixed-feelings-about-marbach-road/Slideshow/22436684 . After reading that article and seeing many meme's with negative connotations about Marbach, I took on the task Matthew Skinner set out and was able to develop his idea into a full fledged documentary that provides our audience depth to the region we call home.

Matthew Skinner
Before the thought of Marbachumentary came to be, I was writing a parody of Jumanji, only instead of the jungle, it was Marbach. Funny concept, but not at all an accurate depiction of the lifestyles and historic value of the road we called home. It wasn’t until Gregory B. Ruiz literally pulled me out of my house to scout sites and spark creativity for my parody script, when we came upon one of Arturo’s Kanye Marketing signs that made me realize the true vision I needed to get out to my community. I made a simple and playful rough cut of how I envisioned the opening scene and published it on facebook. Next thing I knew, Arturo Javier Mireles called, offered his skills and equipment needed to make this professional production a reality. None of this would be possible without the help of my childhood friends and it makes this documentary even more special because we all inspired each other to build this reality.