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Calling Charlie Minn a prolific documentary filmmaker is an understatement. He says he thinks he’s made about 43 movies so far, but he’s quick to admit he’s lost count. His films have covered numerous tragedies such as a mass shooting at a Las Cruces bowling alley (A Nightmare in Las Cruces) and the lives lost to opioids (FU: Fentanyl Unlimited). Although he’s currently based in Manhattan, Minn says he still feels drawn to New Mexico. One of his latest films is a testament to how the Land of Entrapment has truly captured Minn’s attention. Nightmare: UFC Legend Diego Sanchez dives into the story of one of Albuquerque’s more notable mixed martial arts fighters. Sanchez, who graduated in 2000 from Del Norte High School, rose to fame after his appearance on the first season of “The Ultimate Fighter” reality series. The film’s trailer includes mixed martial arts staples such as the UFC’s Dana White, who arguably helped put Sanchez on the map.
“Diego’s a maniac,” White says in the trailer.
Minn says he spent less than a year in Albuquerque during the early 1990s, but he’s felt an emotional connection with the city ever since. He also knows all too well how Albuquerque treats its hometown heroes, which he says is a big contrast to celebrity status in places such as Los Angeles or New York City.
“If you’re well-known, boy, the city gets really, really small,” Minn says of cities the size of Albuquerque.
Minn spoke with The Paper. ahead of the April 19 showings of Nightmare at both Icon Cinemas locations in Albuquerque.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
The Paper.: Why did you decide to make this film?
What happened was, Teresa Tapia is a longtime friend—that’s [boxer] Johnny Tapia’s widow. We were talking 10 years ago about possibly doing something about Johnny. That never occurred and we stayed in touch and when I released my fentanyl documentary at the Flix, Brewhouse, back in October, I happened to run into her, and we kind of reconnected. Out of nowhere she sends me a text around Christmas time and goes, “I’d like to do something about Diego Sanchez.” She works quickly. I work quickly. So things came together very quickly. I’ve done so many true crime documentaries, I kind of wanted to take a break from that. Being a former Albuquerque sportscaster [with KRQE], the city haunts me in many ways. When I got to Albuquerque, right out of college, I felt like I was on a path to stardom, and I made a lot of mistakes. I was very immature. I was very confrontational. I was my own worst enemy, I would say. I have a lot of memories about Albuquerque, even though it was only nine or 10 months. So that city, in many ways, haunts me, and I feel like there’s a lot of unfinished business.
So, you got to know Diego pretty well?
Yeah, we sat down for multiple interviews. He’s a very eccentric character. When I was researching him, I found many similarities between him and I, just always fighting in life. Him, literally in the octagon and in the ring, and me just fighting with guts, my life, hard work, never giving up. I just saw a lot of similar qualities. I played hockey as a kid, I got into a lot of scraps. So my nature is also fighting. Not literally, I’m talking just the fight of life. So, that’s part of the reason why I was attracted to the story. I got to know him quite well. He’s an Albuquerque legend. He helped put MMA on the map in Albuquerque. And we certainly had some long discussions, and a lot of that will obviously be in the movie.
He was in the very first season of “The Ultimate Fighter,” right?
Yeah, that’s what launched him. He graduated [high school] in 2000, and then five years later, he was thrown into the spotlight on Spike TV. I guess he was maybe 23 years old at the time, and he won his middleweight class. He was one of the many people who lived in that house for, whatever that was, eight to 10 weeks in Vegas for the reality show. He was one of the three guys to get a UFC contract.
Anything else you would like to add?
I have quite a history with New Mexico. A film career, sportscasting career. Like I said, that city really haunts me in so many ways, good and bad. It’s very emotional for me, even talking to you. There’s just so much history in my mind. With Albuquerque, it’s become a state of mind, and I’m so saddened that the city has gone through so much hell and crime since I left. I mean, it just bothers the living daylights out of me that so many innocent people have been gunned down in that city. I just don’t get it. I don’t get it. I don’t know if I’ll ever get it. Right before my fentanyl film came out, I went in front of a church and I literally poured my heart out. I said, “I used to live here. This is not the Albuquerque I knew,” and I said, “So many innocent families are being destroyed,” and the whole church gave me a standing ovation. I just think that there’s so much unfinished business for me to really let out my emotions, and filmmaking is one way to do that. You’re basically in some ways, baring your soul by unleashing all your creative thoughts and juices.
Minn says his film will open on April 19 at Icon Cinemas, but hopes to add more theaters soon.
