| American Pachuco: The Legend of Luis Valdez | |
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| Directed by | David Alvarado |
| Produced by |
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| Narrated by | Edward James Olmos |
| Cinematography | Zachary Fink |
| Edited by | Daniel Chávez-Ontiveros |
| Music by | Eduardo Arenas |
Production company | |
Release date |
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Running time | 92 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Languages |
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American Pachuco: The Legend of Luis Valdez is an upcoming American documentary film directed by David Alvarado. It chronicles the life and career of Luis Valdez, the playwright and director known as the father of Chicano theater.
The film is narrated by Edward James Olmos, who starred in Valdez's seminal works Zoot Suit and the film Zoot Suit (1981). [2] It is scheduled to premiere in the U.S. Documentary Competition at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival.
The film explores how Luis Valdez transformed the American cultural landscape by bringing Chicano stories from the farm fields of Delano, California, to Broadway and Hollywood. It covers his founding of El Teatro Campesino alongside Cesar Chavez and the United Farm Workers, as well as the creation of his iconic works Zoot Suit and La Bamba . [3]
The documentary utilizes split-screen visuals and is guided by a "pachuco narrator" (Edward James Olmos) who provides candid commentary on Valdez's struggle against political resistance and industry skepticism. [4]
The film is directed by David Alvarado, known for Bill Nye: Science Guy (2017). It is produced by Insignia Films. The score was composed by Eduardo Arenas, the bassist for the band Chicano Batman. [3]
In November 2025, prior to its festival premiere, the film was awarded the Library of Congress Lavine/Ken Burns Prize for Film, which included a $200,000 grant for post-production. Filmmaker Ken Burns praised the project as "joyful" and noted that it "illuminates a figure whose career in the arts broke down barriers." [2]
American Pachuco: The Legend of Luis Valdez was selected for the U.S. Documentary Competition at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival, where it will premiere in January 2026. [5]