Documentary screening of 'American Pachuco: The Legend of Luis Valdez' directed by David Alvarado, with the director in attendance.
AFS Cinema is screening American Pachuco: The Legend of Luis Valdez on Wednesday, August 12, at 7 PM. The film is a documentary about the playwright and filmmaker Luis Valdez, and its director, David Alvarado, will be there in person. Valdez himself won't be able to make it, so Alvarado will be the one taking the stage.
If you're not familiar with the name, you've almost certainly seen his work. Valdez brought the Chicano experience into the American cultural mainstream with Zoot Suit and La Bamba, and this documentary lets him tell his own story. Alvarado describes it as every bit as drama-filled as the work Valdez is known for. The critics have been on board, too: The Hollywood Reporter called it "enlightening and entertaining," and IndieWire said it "offers a rousing assertion that Chicano art is as American as it gets."
It's a 2026 US production, running 1 hour and 32 minutes. The screening is supported by KUTX, Sound Unseen Austin, and Cine Las Americas, so it's a proper local presentation. It's the kind of night that works just as well if you've followed Valdez for years as it does if you've only ever heard of La Bamba.
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Tickets are $15 for the evening show, and there's a $12 matinee price available Monday through Friday for screenings before 5 PM. AFS MAKE & WATCH members get $4 off, and LOVE & Impact Circle members get in free. If you're an AISD educator or a local high school or college student, you can get a discount at the box office with a valid school ID. The screening is at AFS Cinema, 6406 N I-35 Suite 3100, Austin, TX 78752, starting at 7 PM on Wednesday, August 12.
