2019 // Alonso // melgar // Volunteer

Where are you from?
AM: Calgary, Alberta

What do you do at Luminato?
AM: Volunteer Coordinator.

What recent show or exhibition have you seen?
AM: Don’t know if films count but I just saw If Beale Street Could Talk and it was absolutely beautiful.

What three items would you take to a desert island?
AM: Sunglasses, sandals, surfboard.

Why do you love volunteers/volunteering?
AM: You meet so many tremendous people through volunteering; I’ve formed some long-lasting friendships with people I’ve met either through volunteering or even just as a coordinator in other organizations. Volunteering your time and hard work brings out the best in people and it’s great to be around that.

Who is your favourite sports team?
AM: I get a lot of strange looks but I’m a die-hard Nashville Predators fan. 2017 Cup Final was a heartbreaker and no, I’m still not over it.

If you could eat one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be?
AM: There’s a Salvadorean dish called Pupusas which are basically tortillas stuffed with cheese, meat, and/or beans. Growing up in a Salvadorean household, and actually having lived in El Salvador for a time, I’ve had my fair share and would gladly eat nothing but them for the rest of my life.

What is your best Luminato memory? 
AM: I’m a fan of Ólafur Arnalds’ music and would have loved to have seen him perform at last year’s festival.

What is your favourite place in all of Toronto?
AM: Revue Cinema in Roncesvalles is such a gem. I’m a sucker for old traditional cinemas and Revue might be my favourite cinema in all of Canada.
 
What book did you read last?
AM: No Ashes in The Fire by Darnell Moore.

What are you looking forward to most at this year’s festival?
AM: Meeting all the awesome volunteers of course! The Full Light of Day also sounds riveting.