Selena

It’s been 31 years since Tejano star Selena Quintanilla-Pérez was gunned down by Yolanda Saldívar, her fan club manager. From bars on Alameda to filling the El Paso County Coliseum, Selena performed multiple times in El Paso. Her last show here was August 6, 1994, less than a year before her life was cut short at 23. PCFF 2026 guest Gregory Nava cast an almost unknown Jennifer Lopez in the title role. The biopic depicts the rise of the Texas-born singer, including her massive headlining concert at Houston’s Astrodome (her Fiesta de las Flores appearance in El Paso is depicted). PCFF 2023 guest Edward James Olmos plays her father and manager. Late El Paso native Lupe Ontiveros plays Saldívar. Told with authenticity and emotional depth, this story about family, music, cultural impact and breaking barriers remains powerful today, ensuring that the legacy of Selena lives on. — Jaime Mendez, Keri Moe