REEL RASQUACHE – REEL VISIONS 2009
Film Fest at
Cal State L.A. May 15-17
Luis
Valdez to Receive Career Achievement Award,
Sunday, May 17
Los Angeles, CA
–
The 6th Annual Reel Rasquache Festival of the U.S. Latino
Experience in Film & Art—a West Coast celebration of films by and
about U.S. Latinos—will be held May 15-17, 2009, at the
Luckman Fine Arts Complex at
California State University, Los Angeles.
This year’s Festival will
honor the stellar contributions in the field of U.S. film and television
by presenting Luis Valdez the 2009 Reel Rasquache Career
Achievement Award. This award honors one whose body of work stands
as a national treasure, a career that embodies the tremendous scope and
rich diversity of Latino experience and historical contributions in the
U.S.
Valdez’ outstanding career—as a
playwright, screenwriter, director, actor for stage, film, television,
dramatic narrative and documentary across the independent and commercial
media spectrum, a scholar, and academic—encompasses some 15 works that
comprise a body of creative achievement and dedicated activism that
established Chicano theater and film and inspired their respective rich
traditions.
As an alumnus of California State
University, San Jose, his example underscores the promise of the CSU
system as a pathway for historically underrepresented communities to
achieve access and contribute excellence to the entertainment arts and
industries. His ongoing legacy began at least as early as 1961 with his
winning one-act, The Theft; following in 1963 with his first
full-length play, The Shrunken Head of Pancho Villa, and in 1965
his founding of the world renowned El Teatro Campesino. His works also
include the 1969 classic Chicano film, I Am Joaquin; the
legendary 1976 public television series Visions; the incomparable
1979 stage masterpiece, Zoot Suit; the film Zoot Suit in
1981; the groundbreaking La Bamba; the public television’s
Corridos: The Tales of Passion and Revolution; 1991’s La
Pastorela; and the 1994 The Cisco Kid.
These hallmark works are defined as
“the embodiment of a quality of genius, vision, community commitment and
social awareness that continue to give voice to the Chicano, Latino, and
indeed human struggle for social access, recognition, and justice.”
Valdez is described as “consistently advancing Latina/o representations
by the memorable dignity, intelligence, humor, and multi-dimensions that
emanate from his every creative and professional endeavor.”
Additionally, Valdez is a founding
faculty and tenured professor of the Center for Teledramatic Arts and
Technology at CSU Monterey Bay. His profile as an esteemed CSU academic
is punctuated with honorary doctorate degrees from San Jose State, the
California Institute of the Arts, Columbia College in Chicago, the
University of Rhode Island, and Santa Clara State University.
The citation from Chicago’s Columbia
College sums up the regard with which he held both in the Latino
community and the world: “Dramatist, Composer, Poet, Cinema and Theatre
Director—your artistry honors the Mexican-American heritage and gives
crucial strength and coherence to the struggle for a decent life and
justice for those who work the American land.” His recognition
at the 2009 Reel Rasquache Film Festival will be not only by Cal State
L.A. but indeed a show of appreciation by the CSU. It will be an event
of thanksgiving by the Chicano Studies programs across the CSU that
share in the 40th anniversary of I Am Joaquin—the programs of
study whose very existence and endurance owe so much to his vision and
inspiration.
On Sunday, May 17 (closing night),
Reel Rasquache will present Tribute screenings of I Am Joaquin
and Zoot Suit. Following the Tribute screenings, Valdez will be
presented with the 2009 Career Achievement Award. Cast members of some
of his films will also be present.
The three-day
Reel Rasquache U.S. Latino Film Festival will also feature
screenings in all formats and genres including webisodes from across the
U.S., filmmaking workshops, multimedia/spoken-word, live music and
networking receptions.
For festival information, the Reel Rasquache website will be available
at
www.reelrasquache.org.
For sponsorship opportunities, please contact Alan Templer at
atempler@cslanet.calstatela.edu.
# # #
Reel Rasquache
Publicity Director:
Griselda Navarro
griseldanavarro@reelrasquache.org
Note to editors
and news directors:
The festival’s
logo is available for promotional and news purposes.
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