El Paso Script El Pavo Bravo Wins Big & Attracting Hollywood Eyes

Congratulations to two El Pasoans who recently won for their screenplay, El Pavo Bravo (The Brave Turkey), which is currently getting some Hollywood buzz.

El Pavo Bravo is an award-winning, bilingual dramedy feature film script co-written by Border Theatre ensemble Austin Savage and Roland Esparza.

Set in El Paso and Juarez, the film tells the story of passion, community, culture, loss, and hope centered around one man, a luchador who carries the legacy of his predecessors and who has aspirations of playing in a band.

Following the death of his best friend, the legendary luchador abandons wrestling before the biggest match of his career and takes up music in an effort to win back his long-lost love.

The film also includes a soundtrack featuring original music by local musicians such as Jim Ward, Our Friend The Mountain, Emily Davis, Omar Cuellar, and artwork by local artist Wyndi Soto and many others.

The guys even had a bonafide luchador mask made in Mexico and teamed up with locals Mother of All Branding to create merchandise that will be hitting online soon.

Written during the pandemic and with much time on their hands, Savage decided to submit the screenplay "for fun" to The Black List, an annual survey of the "most-liked" motion picture screenplays not yet produced.

Sponsored by Hornitos, El Pavo Bravo held on steady and won along with four other scripts, including submissions from New Orleans, Australia, and Los Angeles - taking home $15K each.

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Now Savage and Esparza have been swept up in a whirlwind of possibilities. The two El Pasoans are currently on the quest to film a proof of concept short of their screenplay with their winnings but are also raising funds to match the 15 grand to help with production costs.

Once this short gets produced, it will hit the festival circuit along with a special screening hosted by Hornitos sometime next year, attracting even more Hollywood eyes and funds in the hopes of getting picked up for a full-length feature.

El Pavo Bravo has been getting so much buzz that even the Sundance Institute Labs invited both Savage and Esparza to take part in its intensive residency program that pairs up-and-coming artists with experienced mentors.

If successful, this film could shine another bright spotlight on El Paso and Juarez, two cities and communities often misrepresented behind the lens.

El Pavo Bravo is currently casting for their short and asks anyone who would like to help elevate this project to make a tax-deductible donation by clicking HERE.