Screenings at The Mexican American Film & Television Festival May 20th and 21st at the Harmony Gold Theater in Hollywood

The 2nd Edition of the Mexican-American Film and Television Festival and Awards is set to honor director Luis Valdez for his contributions to the Chicano film and playwriting movement. The festival will pay tribute to Valdez, known for his groundbreaking films such as Zoot Suit (1981), La Bamba (1987), and The Cisco Kid (1994), as well as his founding of El Teatro Campesino, which started as a group performing for farmworkers in the fields.

The Cisco Kid, courtesy of TNT, A Warner Brothers Discovery Company starring Jimmy Smits and Cheech Marin, will be shown at the Harmony Gold Theater in Hollywood on Saturday May 20th, 2023 at 6pm. Zoot Suit, distributed by Universal Picture and starring Edward James Olmos, will be screening on Sunday May 21st at 3:45 pm. Both screenings will include a Q&A session with Director Luis Valdez and producer Moctesuma Esparza, will join Valdez for a discussion of The Cisco Kid.

Luis Valdez is a master storyteller who possesses an extraordinary sense of storytelling, combined with a deep understanding of history and the complexities of life. His work is rich with humor, pathos, and a keen appreciation for the ironies that shape our experiences,” said Moctesuma Esparza of working with Luis on The Cisco Kid.

The Cisco Kid, a popular western character created in the early 1900s, was reinvented by Valdez in the film The Cisco Kid as a charming and charismatic hero who fought for justice and equality. The film, which premiered in 1981 on TNT, is a powerful, action packed comedic portrayal of this hero set in the 1940s starring Smits and Marin.

Zoot Suit is a 1981 American independent drama musical film that brings the Broadway play of the same name to the screen. Starring Olmos, the film explores the Sleepy Lagoon trial, which arose from the Zoot Suit Riots in the 1940s, this year is its 40 years commemoration.

Valdez expressed his gratitude for the forthcoming award, “It is my profound honor to be receiving this Life Achievement Award from the Mexican American Film Festival. Everything I have done in a lifetime of social activism through the performing arts has specifically been for the empowerment of all Chicanos, within the global struggle for social justice for all people of color, women and the LGBTQ+ community. May the arts continue to inspire, activate and change the world. I share this recognition with my life’s partner of 54 years, Lupe Trujillo Valdez, and our three sons Anahuac, Kinan and Lakin, all activist artists in their own right,” said Director Luis Valdez. 

“The mission of the Festival is to provide opportunities for attendees to fall in love with our stories and the complex and beautiful art of making them come true on the screen. The Festival is a place where movie lovers and movie makers can meet and interact. It is a place where Mexican-American and Latino filmmakers can meet one another to honor each other, find cooperation, synergy and community. It is here where industry leaders discover talent and great stories. In 2023 we have chosen to honor an icon of Mexican-American/Chicano storytelling, Luis Valdez!” said Jose-Luis Ruiz, Founder of the Mexican-American Film and Television Festival.

The Mexican-American Film and Television Festival aims to provide a platform for Mexican-American and Latino filmmakers to connect, celebrate each other’s work, and foster collaboration and community. The festival, organized by the Mexican-American Cultural Education Foundation, showcases stories that represent the Mexican-American community’s experiences and aims to amplify the voices of Chicano/Mexican-American filmmakers. Over 130 film submissions, including features, shorts, documentaries, and TV projects, have been received for the festival, covering various themes such as identity, love, and immigration.

Tickets for the festival are on sale now at EVENTIVE (https://macef.eventive.org/schedule) For more information please visit: www.MexAmCEF.org