El Mariachi gave special mention to director Robert Rodriguez and his ability to merge two separate genres of films—"the narcotraficante film, a Mexican police genre, and the transnational warrior-action film, itself rooted in Hollywood Westerns"—successfully "despite the constraints of a shoestring budget." The film is recognized by American Film Institute in these lists: El Mariachi El Mariachi is a 1992 American contemporary western action film and the first installment in the saga that came to be known as Robert Rodriguez's "Mexico Trilogy". It marked the feature length debut of Rodriguez as writer and director. The Spanish language film was shot with a
Mariachi Gringo lead role. Mariachi Gringo Mariachi Gringo is a 2012 feature film directed by Tom Gustafson and written by Cory Krueckeberg. The film was produced by Speak Productions and Sin Sentido Films. The film stars Shawn Ashmore, Martha Higareda, Lila Downs, Fernando Becerril, Kate Burton, Tom Wopat and Adriana Barraza. Mariachi Gringo opened the 2012 Miami International Film Festival and won the Mayahuel Awards for Best Film & Best Actress for Martha Higareda at the 2012 Guadalajara International Film Festival. Edward (Shawn Ashmore), a small-town American slacker, meets Albert, an old Mexican man who was once a mariachi. Enchanted by traditional