American Pachuco:
The Legend of Luis Valdez

This documentary chronicles how Valdez illuminated the Mexican-American experience on stage and screen, transforming the American cultural landscape. In 1965 Valdez created the Chicano theater company El Teatro Campesino alongside the United Farm Workers. Fourteen years later, in 1979, Valdez became the first Chicano director to have a play presented on Broadway when his play “Zoot Suit” premiered in New York. Valdez went on to write and direct the 1987 film “La Bamba.”

Our animations highlight chicano concepts and the screenwriting process. We also restored and added visual effects to archival material.