Reel Rebel: Emilio Montiel and the courage to dream big (or how a Mexican filmmaker built his own movie empire)

2026-02-28

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In today’s episode, we explore the filmmaking journey of Emilio Montiel, a 71-year-old singer, actor and film producer — and founder of Producciones Montiel.His story is as binge-worthy as his work.If you stumbled upon one of his films without seeing the view count or reading the comments, you might be surprised to learn that he has produced more than 200 movies and captivated audiences worldwide with his direct-to-YouTube releases, amassing more than 100 million views.Yes, you read that right.His unique blend of family themes, Mexican Westerns and his own mus...

In today’s episode, we explore the filmmaking journey of Emilio Montiel, a 71-year-old singer, actor and film producer — and founder of Producciones Montiel.

His story is as binge-worthy as his work.

If you stumbled upon one of his films without seeing the view count or reading the comments, you might be surprised to learn that he has produced more than 200 movies and captivated audiences worldwide with his direct-to-YouTube releases, amassing more than 100 million views.

Yes, you read that right.

His unique blend of family themes, Mexican Westerns and his own musical style defies Hollywood standards — creating an unexpected but devoted online following.

But Emilio's path has not been without challenges. Throughout his career, he has faced skepticism and mockery, both personally and professionally. Still, he persevered. His story is a testament to resilience — and to using unconventional methods to bring a lifelong dream to life.

On set, we witnessed the passion Emilio pours into his work — and the unwavering support of his team, many of whom have found a creative home in his productions.

Emilio's journey is more than filmmaking. It's cinematic in its own right —

a story of perseverance, creativity and the relentless pursuit of doing what you love.

His story serves as a reminder that it’s never too late to follow your dreams.

If you're curious to get a behind-the-scenes look at one of Emilio's productions, check out KPBS video journalist Matt Bowler’s latest story. You might even catch a glimpse Julio’s arm holding the mic!

Special thanks to Armando Hernandez of the Trash-Mex podcast for sharing his expertise on narco-Mex Westerns and their cultural impact.

Mentioned in this episode:

Petula Clark
Bernabé “El Gatillero” Melendrez
The Almada Brothers (Mario Almada, Fernando Almada and Horacio Almada)
Patricia Rivera
Vicente Fernández

Movies heard in this episode:

“Dos Carteles”
“Muerte en Tijuana”
“No Más Muertes en la Frontera”

Songs heard in this episode:

“Prefiero Morir” by Emilio Montiel

About Season 6

Port of Entry has a fresh new season for you, with richer stories of our border region.

This season spotlights shapers and visionaries of the borderlands — people impacting the region, and in some cases the world, with their work and research.

From urbanism and architecture to education, and politics, to art and robotics, these stories explore the region’s most innovative voices.

Listen in and join us!

Social media and contact

From KPBS, Port of Entry tells cross-border stories that connect us. More stories at www.portofentrypod.org

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Credits

Hosts: Alan Lilienthal and Natalie González

Writer/Producer: Julio C. Ortiz-Franco