John Valadez wants to change the way you see the iconic
titles “War & Peace” and “Pride & Prejudice.”
Instead of seeing classic novels, he saw an opportunity to name his two films based on Chicano and Latino-American culture after them.
ASU’s Comparative Border Studies research initiative within the School of Transborder Studies is bringing Valadez and his films to Arizona for two screenings — one on Tuesday, Nov. 5, at the Tempe campus, and another at the Phoenix Art Museum on Nov. 6.
Tuesday, students and members of the community will gather in the Marston Exploration Theater to view Valadez's “Pride & Prejudice.”
Elizabeth Cantu, Executive Coordinator of the Comparative Border Studies initiative, said this year’s director and film screenings will be an unparalleled experience for students and people wishing to explore Latino and Chicano issues throughout U.S. history.
“This year the films feature two specific time periods,” Cantu said.
Valadez’s adaptation of “Pride & Prejudice” is all about the “creation of the Chicano movement in America,” Cantu said. This film focuses on the 1960s and 1970s in the U.S. and the struggle for equal rights and treatment for Chicanos during those years.
"War & Peace" will be screened on Wednesday at the Phoenix Art Museum, followed by a discussion session with Valadez. This documentary focuses on the World War II period and the important, but often overlooked, role Latino Americans played. The director of the Comparative Border Studies Program, Matthew Garcia, is grateful to have a film such as "War & Peace" screened in the Phoenix area, as it busts the myth that Chicanos and Latino Americans played a minor role in WWII.
Garcia expressed his feelings about screening the films at ASU as well as at the Phoenix Art Museum.
"We are proud to host this major filmmaker in the Valley," Garcia said.
Cantu spoke of the “social fabric” these groups held together and were a part of during these times.
“They have always been there,” she said of Latino and Latino Americans throughout history.
The Comparative Border Studies Program has a mission of exploring and explaining border issues through various mediums. From the arts to lectures and interviews, this program within the School of Transborder Studies aims to expand knowledge of the "geopolitical and cultural borders.”
Cantu expressed that she hopes that when audiences see these films, they will gain “a deeper, layered understanding” of the border issues affecting the Arizona population today.
Although these films are primarily focused on the history of these ethnic groups, the relevance continues to hold true today. After watching the documentaries, Valadez will answer questions and discuss the content with the audience. Cantu stated that she believes the post film discussions will be able to focus on the way the past and the present correlate.
“We encourage all audiences to come and see the films and engage in the dialogue. Maybe they’ll learn something,” Cantu said.
Reach the reporter at sjochoa@asu.edu or follow her on Twitter @SenoritaSyd
