About this Event
In celebration of the holiday season and support of Border Kindness, 7th House and El Cine are pleased to present mid-century Mexican filmmaker René Cardona’s see-it-to-believe-it, family-friendly cult Christmas oddity SANTA CLAUS aka SANTA CLAUS VS THE DEVIL (1959)! El Cine co-founder Gilbert Trejo will join us to introduce the screening and discuss Cardona's fascinating story, impact, and legacy.
Before space travel was real, Mexico sent Santa to the cosmos. In SANTA CLAUS, the holiday myth collapses into a fever dream: Lucifer plots from below, a demon named Pitch whispers chaos into the ears of children, and Santa — stationed in his orbital, cloud-top space workshop — watches humanity through celestial surveillance. With the mischievous Pitch on the loose and deadset on corrupting children and sabotaging Christmas, it’s up to Santa, his trusty advisor Merlin the Wizard (?!) and a crew of international children to outwit Pitch’s schemes and guide a lonely, kindhearted girl toward hope.
A candy colored mixture of holiday lore and science fiction that is part cosmic morality play, part Cold War hallucination, Cardona’s 1959 Mexican fantasy bends theology, technology, and innocence into something that feels more like a dream record than a Christmas film. As bizarre as it is endearing, Cardona (one of Mexican cinema’s most prolific directors of melodrama, adventure, and exploitation films) gifted the world with an unforgettable — and unintentionally hilarious — cult classic. Long before irony found it, Santa Claus was already a philosophical artifact — a reflection on good and evil wrapped in velvet absurdity and cosmic sincerity.
Join us for this rare theatrical screening of Cardona’s original Spanish language version!
At the event El Cine will be collecting gifts in support of Border Kindness, the non-profit that provides asylum-seekers, migrants, refugees, and the displaced with comprehensive services that include food, shelter, clothing, medical care, and legal services — gathering toys for migrant mothers and children impacted by the border crisis — because compassion, too, is an act of resistance. See image below for toy drive details.
Dir. René Cardona, 94 mins, 1959, Mexico, Spanish w/ English subtitles, Suitable For All Ages, Digital.
Tickets: $10 (All Screenings Are In Person Only)
Please email [email protected] or phone 323-663-2167 with any questions.
ABOUT EL CINE
El Cine is a 501-c3 that provides free film education for the community through Latin-focused screenings and conversations. Visit their website for more info and upcoming events!
ABOUT BORDER KINDNESS
Border Kindness provides asylum-seekers, migrants, refugees, and the displaced with comprehensive services that include food, shelter, clothing, medical care, and legal services.
Their programs and interventions are designed to identify, protect, and nurture the most vulnerable, including women, children, the elderly, and families.
Border Kindness believes everyone should have the opportunity to live free of pain, hunger, intimidation, and fear.
They believe everyone is our neighbor.
Visit their website for more information and to see how you can help
ADVISORY DISCLAIMER
With some exception, The Philosophical Research Society’s 7th House Screenings does not typically provide advisory warnings about potentially upsetting content or subject matter, as sensitivities are particular to each viewer. Please be sure to read event listings, research on the web, or visit Common Sense Media, IMDb, and DoesTheDogDie.com for thorough info on content and age-appropriateness. If you have any specific content advisory questions, please email [email protected].
CONTENT DISCLAIMER
The views, opinions, and thoughts expressed within exhibited works are solely those of their creators and may not represent those of the Philosophical Research Society (PRS), its affiliates, or any individuals associated with PRS. Screenings are intended for educational and entertainment purposes.
ACCESSIBILITY
PRS wants all guests to be able to enjoy our events safely and comfortably. If you require any accessibility accommodation, please reach out to [email protected] before showtime and we will be happy to assist you.
REFUND POLICIES
All sales are final. There are no refunds for PRS events , except in the event of a medical emergency, including but not limited to a positive COVID-19 test. Ticket exchanges may be granted on a case by case basis, pending circumstances.
In the event that PRS is forced to cancel an event entirely, tickets will be refunded or vouchers offered for a rescheduled event.
PARKING
Limited parking is available onsite at PRS in both the front lot (entry from Los Feliz Blvd. when heading east) and back lot (entry from first alley way, off Griffith Park Blvd. from intersection with Los Feliz Blvd.), as well as street parking on Griffith Park Blvd. and (after 7 PM) on Los Feliz Blvd. We encourage attendees to consider carpooling, walking or biking to events if possible, and please be considerate of our Los Feliz neighbors when parking.
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Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Philosophical Research Society, 3910 Los Feliz Boulevard, Los Angeles, United States
USD 12.51
