Luis Valdez is widely known as the director of La Bamba (1987), a musical biopic about the short life of Ritchie Valens. In fact, he is also a central figure in the Chicano Movement, a social movement led by Mexican American communities. The documentary juxtaposes Valdez's life as an immigrant, his play Zoot Suit, and his film La Bamba to trace the broader struggle against racial discrimination in the United States, including the Black Panther movement and other Hispanic civil rights movements.
While the film clearly conveys messages of activism and revolution, it remains lively and engaging, fueled by the music from Valdez's works and the vibrant presence of Latin entertainers who took part in these movements. An icon and leader of the Chicano community, Valdez's voice remains powerful and relevant even now, well into his mid-eighties. (Molly KIM)