By *This article contains minor spoilers for Alien: Romulus*
Growing up, Mondays were movie days for filmmaker Moctesuma Esparza and his father.
A Mexican immigrant living in 1950’s Boyle Heights, his father Francisco worked 12 hours a day, six days a week as a cook to provide for his family.
Monday was his free day.
Every week, he and his son would take the bus to Olvera Street where they would enjoy breakfast at the historic taco stand Cielito Lindo.
Then they would go to the Million Dollar Theater on 3rd and Broadway and catch a Mexican movie.
After the credits rolled, they would walk to another theater on Broadway, be it the Palace, The Los Angeles Theatre or The Orpheum.
Through film, Francisco taught his son about life, Mexico and himself.
Filmmaker, activist and entrepreneur Moctesuma Esparza sits in the front row of theater room seven inside Milagro Cinemas on Aug. 28. Moctesuma and his daughter, Tonantzin Esparza, spent two years designing and renovating the space into a community cineplex with a Chicano theme. Photo Credit: Delfino Camacho.
“We would talk about the movies so I came to know and understand Mexico through its movies, so the Mexico that I grew to love was pastoral, rural and small,” Esparza said. “ My dad would talk to me about life.”
As he matured, Esparza became a community activist, student journalist, entertainment executive and movie producer. His filmography includes films like Gettysburg with Sam Elliot, The Cisco Kid with Cheech Marin and Selena with Jennifer Lopez.
Now 75-years-old Esparza is taking on another role – founder and CEO of Milagro Cinemas, a new independent movie theater that opened its doors this summer on August 5 in Norwalk, California.
Esparza worked closely with his daughter, Tonantzin Esparza, to renovate the space and recapture the community theater vibe.
A producer and actress in her own right, Tonantzin experienced her first foray into the film world at 16 when she worked with her dad on the set of Selena as a makeup artist.
“It was a dream come true because my goal was to become closer to my father,” Tonantzin said. “Through film, we’ve bonded and I know where his passions lie and those same passions became mine.”
Located at 13917 Pioneer Blvd., the Milagro was a two-year passion project that Esparza and Tonantzin began designing and renovating in 2022.
When guests first enter the theater, they are greeted by a mural of Esparza and Francisco dressed in their Monday best, ready for a movie.
A mural of father and son Francisco and Moctesuma Esparza painted by Boyle Heights Muralist Robert Vargas located in the lobby of Milagro Cinemas on Aug. 27. Entitled “Fathers Day,” the mural idea originated from Vargas who said the story of Francisco taking his son out to the movies every Monday was a perfect representation of both Mexican and cinema culture. Photo Credit: Delfino Camacho
Beyond popcorn, the Milagro offers Mexican-inspired theater food including street tacos, burritos and authentic nachos with fresh cheese, beans and salsa.
They partnered with various local Chicano-owned businesses like La Bodega Brewery and the Whittier Wine Collection to offer wine, branded beer on tap and canned options.
The theater boasts eight screens including two designated Dolby rooms that feature 40 speakers strategically placed to surround the audience, offering an immersive audio experience.
Stacks of “I Love Micheladas” brand michelada cups decorate the bar area inside the Milagros Cinemas located in Norwalk on Aug. 27. A “michelada” is a Mexican beer cocktail typically made with Mexican beer, lime juice, salt, and hot sauce or chili powder popular with Chicano cultures. Photo Credit: Delfino Camacho
Screen 8 is the D-Box room featuring high-tech chairs that contort and react in conjunction with the movie on screen. The technology offers tactful and detailed sensations to further immerse viewers.
During a screening of “Alien: Romulus,” as an android character malfunctions on screen, the D-Box chairs react – poking the audience with quick, mechanical sensations.
As the scene cuts to a Xenomorph facehugger escaping its cocoon, the sensation inflicted on the audience changes, becoming more organic, like bony fingers prodding.
The Esparzas have also made efforts to value the relative community by hiring locals as employees, like manager Ginger Morales.
A Norwalk resident of 35 years, Morales said that she appreciates the community commitment and hopes to keep the Milagro open as long as possible.
“I hope that the community gives back what we’re trying to instill here,” Morales said. “I hope that they see that we’ve done this, not only for us but for them, because I think that this city really deserves love.”
Community emphasis also extends to a planned public art gallery space as a portion of the theater is currently reserved with plans to host rotating art collections loaned from local museums.
“We’re partnering with MOLAA, the Museum of Latin American Art in Long Beach, and they’re going to be helping curate some exhibits,” Tonantzin said.
While currently offering mostly mainstream releases, there are plans to showcase older, revival films and independent movies.
On Saturday, Sept. 25, the theater will be hosting a free screening of Blue Beetle with the film’s star Xolo Maridueña doing an in-person Q-and-A.
Moctesuma Esparza squints against the late morning sun while standing in front of the Milagros Cinemas on Aug. 28. “It makes me cry, it’s incredibly nostalgic and fulfilling,” said Esparza on how he feels looking at his father’s mural, inside the theater he and his daughter renovated. Photo Credit: Delfino Camacho
Standing in front of the mural of him and his father, Esparza reminisces about his childhood, a past where a father and his son could walk to and watch an entire day’s worth of movies, all without leaving their community.
“My world was just a few blocks and movies allowed me to discover that the world was huge,” Esparza said. “I wanted to share that beautiful, nostalgic memory of films that I have and give new families the opportunity to create their own memories.”
