The films suggested here highlight pioneering figures who have championed for the equal rights, representation, and inclusion of Hispanic and Latinx/e/a/o communities in American society and culture.
Made in L.A. Directed by Robert Bahar and Almudena Carracedo . Semilla Verde Productions, 2014. 2 hours 12 minutes
Brief Abstract: An Emmy award-winning feature documentary that follows the remarkable story of three Latina immigrants working in Los Angeles garment sweatshops as they embark on a three-year odyssey to win basic labor protections from a trendy clothing retailer. In intimate verite style, MADE IN LA reveals the impact of the struggle on each woman’s life as they are gradually transformed by the experience. Compelling, humorous, deeply human, MADE IN LA is a story about immigration, the power of unity, and the courage it takes to find your voice.
Awards: 2008 Emmy Award, Outstanding Continuing Coverage of a News Story. See All.
Additional Resources:
Filmmaker Interview:
They Called Me King Tiger: A Biography of the Chicano Malcolm X. Directed by Ángel Estrada Soto. Pragda, 2018. 1hour 31 minutes
Brief Abstract: Dubbed “King Tiger” and “the Malcolm X of the Chicano Movement,” Reies López Tijerina inspired Mexican-American college students of the late 1960s and early 1970s to start the Chicano Civil Rights Movement that stressed ethnic pride, ethnic studies, and opposition to police brutality. The Chicano movement eventually faded away, but at the time of the production of this film, King Tiger was alive, living in Mexico, and wanting to tell his story.
Awards: 2019 Santa Fe Film Festival, Best Documentary.
Additional Resources:
Biography on eBook: https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.5149/9781469653310_oropeza
About the Chicano Movement: https://www.loc.gov/item/ihas.200197398/
Latinx Resource Guide: Civil Rights Cases and Events in the United States (Library of Congress)
Pedro E. Guerrero: A Photographer's Journey. Directed by Raymond Telles. Public Broadcasting Service, 2015. 55 minutes
Brief Abstract: The American Masters series and Latino Public Broadcasting’s VOCES series join forces for the first time to explore the life and work of photographer Pedro E. Guerrero (September 5, 1917 – September 13, 2012), a Mexican American, born and raised in segregated Mesa, Arizona, who had an extraordinary international photography career.
Additional Resources:
Brief Biography: https://guerrerophoto.com/biography/
Photo Gallery: https://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/pedro-e-guerrero-photo-gallery/4955/
Raúl Juliá: The World’s A Stage. Directed by Ben DeJesus. Public Broadcasting Service, 2019, 1 hour 24 minutes
Brief Abstract: Raúl Juliá: The World’s A Stage examines the life and career of entertainer Raúl Juliá. The documentary is a revealing portrait of the actor, who earned recognition for his versatility on stage and on screen. As an artist and humanitarian, Julia paved the way for Hispanic and Latinx/e/a/o representation in the performing arts while fiercely campaigning for critical issues such as ending world hunger and combating climate change.
Additional Resources:
Director's Statement: https://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/raul-julia-the-worlds-a-stage-directors-statement/11807/
Biographical Timeline: https://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/raul-julia-timeline/11769/
