American Pachuco: The Legend of Luis Valdez

Open Caption screenings:
Tuesday, Sept 15th at 12:00pm in Screen 1
Thursday, Sept 17th at 4:30pm in Screen 4
Saturday, September 19th at 2:00pm in Screen 3
Tuesday, September 22nd at 3:15pm in Screen 3
These screenings will be presented with on screen subtitling and sound descriptions.

Against political resistance and industry skepticism, Luis Valdez pushed Chicano storytelling from the fields to the film screen with Zoot Suit and La Bamba, crafting iconic works that challenge, celebrate, and expand America’s story. 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 Zoot Suit was the first Chicano play on Broadway. Despite critical rejection that killed the show, he persevered, creating La Bamba—a blockbuster breakout film 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. Featuring Linda Ronstadt, Lou Diamond Phillips, Cheech Marin, Delores Huerta, and Edward James Olmos. (Dir. by David Alvarado, 2026, USA, 92 mins., Not Rated)