When Jose Gomez of Geneva set out to make a  musical mockumentary two years ago, it was only meant to be a fun diversion from a more daunting task.

“At the time I was editing this huge full-length feature and I really needed to shoot something else to distract myself,” he said.

That distraction earned him the “People’s Choice” award at the Nov. 8 Geneva Film Festival.

Called “The Muchachos Frescos,” the 19-minute short comedy chronicles the rise and fall of the fictional band Muchachos Frescos, who were one-hit wonders in the Chicago Latino music scene 20 years earlier and are now back with a new song.

“It really started out as an experiment,” Gomez said. “Like, what if the Beatles were the band Menudo?”

Gomez, a Kane County Sheriff’s office employee, sought help from his brothers to create a music video for the film.

“I was able to convince them to participate,” he said. “And two years later here we are.”

He credits the Batavia Public Library as playing a part in “The Muchachos Frescos” success.

“Half of it I filmed there,” he said.

Tim Naylor, a 1998 Geneva High School graduate who currently works for “The Oprah Winfrey Show,” was one of the judges for the festival. He said Gomez’s film was entertaining.

“It was really funny and very original,” Naylor said. “It was worth taking the prize.”

Other film festival winners came from Chicago, Oak Park, California, Colorado, Florida and Texas.

Gomez took home a medallion and a $100 cash prize from the Film Festival. He plans to put the money into his movie making budget.

For more information about Gomez, visit his Web site at www.skibofilms.com.