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American Pachuco

Opening Night: American Pachuco

The Legend of Luis Valdez

genres:

Arts
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Biography
|
Documentary
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  • An auteur emerges from America’s underclass: from migrant farmworker to revolutionary artist, Luis Valdez changed American culture. In the 1960s, his El Teatro Campesino performed on flatbed trucks and helped mobilize workers to win the first farmworker union contract. His production Zoot Suit was the first Chicano play on Broadway. Despite critical rejection that killed the show, he persevered, creating La Bamba—a breakout blockbuster that authentically depicted Mexican-American life to the world. Now in its 60th year, El Teatro continues to be a beacon for Latino/a creators. This is the story of an artist who gave voice to the overlooked and opened pathways for generations.

✦ Sold out screening? A limited number of standby tickets may be available at the door on a first come, first served basis.

DIRECTOR(S)David Alvarado
DIRECTOR(S) BIOGRAPHYDavid Alvarado is a Chicano documentary filmmaker and Stanford MFA graduate focused on science, technology, and human rights. Co-founder of Structure Films and a 2022 DOC NYC/HBO 40 Under 40 honoree. His films include American Pachuco (2026), We Are As Gods (2022, adapted as an Audible Originals podcast), Bill Nye: Science Guy (2017, Netflix), True Conviction (2017, PBS), and The Immortalists (2014, BFI-nominated, Netflix).

 

Community support provided by:

Colors of Austin Counseling

Details

  • EVENT TYPE: Opening Night
PREMIERE STATUS: Austin Premiere
YEAR: 2026
LANGUAGESEnglish, Spanish
SUBTITLESEnglish
RUN TIME: 92 Minutes
CONTENT RATING: Content Warning: This film includes archival footage of Cesar Chavez to provide historical context about the farmworker movement and the cultural moment that shaped Valdez’s work. We acknowledge the allegations of sexual misconduct against Chavez.
6259 Middle Fiskville Rd, Austin, TX 78752, United States, #512-322-0145 (ext. 3214)

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