I first noticed politics when Dukakis went up against George Bush senior and I was living in San Antonio, Texas. A lot of my friends were Republican at the time, and my family was supporting Dukakis. There was a chant that one of the kids from school used to sing, ‘Mike is dying while Bush is flying to the white house’. I suppose he was right about that one, and it’s what sparked my interest in politics overall. Being you and impressionable, it was interesting to have an opinion that was essentially handed to me by my parents that was against the grain of those around me. Afterwards, I had to figure out why I thought it was right.
So it was that (a much younger) Juan Carlos Pineiro Escoriaza was introduced to politics.
Winning Smile + Award-Winning Fimmaker
The son of a military doctor, Juan Carlos moved around quite a bit during his childhood, spending time in California, Texas, D.C. and other places before ending up in NYC for film school. Once here, he honed two things: the art of film, and the art of eavesdropping on the subway–the former, because it was his passion, and the latter, because his favorite thing about NYC is the incredible stories one can’t help but overhear in this fascinating city every day.
Charismatic filmmaker though he was, Juan Carlos knew next to nothing about local politics before encountering MYD. He describes his woeful lack of knowledge at the time as being unable to tell the difference between a Councilman and a District Attorney! (Editor’s Note: it’s okay if you don’t know the difference. We’re here for you.) Now, after several years as a member, he says, “When another election comes around, I won’t just vote Democrat because that’s what I usually do–but rather because I understand why.” His most recent contribution was as videographer, documenting our org’s participation in the NYC Gay Pride Parade. The project was especially close to his heart because marriage equality is Juan Carlos’ signature issue: “Getting married to another person is a basic right of any citizen.”
By now, the jig is up and you’ve figured it out: the reason we’re profiling Juan Carlos is because he is one of those awesome MYD members we can point at and say, “Look! He’s cool and creative! He’s a filmmaker! And he still hangs out with us!” And this week, his awesome factor jumped by at least 100 points because his indie film, Second Skin, is being released theatrically across select cities in America. We’ve got the trailer for you right here:
So, support a fellow rockstar member and go see Second Skin on August 7, 8, 9 at The Tank on 45th btw. 8th and 9th. Hell, get a group of MYDers together and go — that’s what social media is for, after all. Starting August 14 it also plays in Los Angeles, Austin, and Boston, so feel free to share with your non-NYC friends as well. And if you’re REALLY into it, you can order the DVD direct from the website: secondskinfilm.com.
This is the second installment of our newish blog series “MYD Member of the Week”. Every week, we’ll profile a (dues-paying) member of MYD–stick ‘em in the spotlight and make ‘em look good. Jealous of Juan Carlos? Email me at newmedia [at] goMYD [dot] com if you want your two-and-a-half minutes of fame. Have questions you want to ask the profilees? Ditto.
The movie is awesome. Everyone should go see it.