Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibilityAmerican Pachuco: The Legend of Luis Valdez | 2026 Sundance Film Festival
Accessibility

U.S. Documentary Competition

American Pachuco: The Legend of Luis Valdez

sd_star_fav_icon
United States202692 minEnglish, Spanish
American Pachuco: The Legend of Luis Valdez

Against political resistance and industry skepticism, Luis Valdez pushes Chicano storytelling from the fields to the film screen with Zoot Suit and La Bamba, crafting iconic works that challenge, celebrate, and expand America’s story.

+ More

Against political resistance and industry skepticism, Luis Valdez pushes Chicano storytelling from the fields to the film screen with Zoot Suit and La Bamba, crafting iconic works that challenge, celebrate, and expand America’s story.

Acclaimed playwright and director Luis Valdez recognized early on the profound impact of seeing one’s own humanity reflected onstage and on screen. He used theater to ignite change while working alongside farmworkers and Cesar Chavez, and he made films that amplified Chicano experiences. His work expanded audiences, bringing in people who had rarely seen their stories told before. Now, director David Alvarado reveals the fuel behind his legendary career.

Alvarado brings us close to Valdez, charting his career milestones and enduring cultural influence. He employs vibrant stylistic choices, using split screens, remarkable archival footage rescued from decay, and a pachuco narrator who tells it like it is by interjecting candid commentary throughout. Alvarado ensures Luis Valdez’s contributions are unmistakable and that his message — “America is Chicano” — resonates proudly, which feels especially vital for today. — SO

Available in person. Also available online for the public (January 29–February 1) and credentialed press and industry (January 28–February 1).

U.S. Documentary CompetitionAll FeaturesBIPOC StoriesBiographyNonfictionClosed CaptionOpen CaptionU.S. Only- less

Screenings

in persononline
  • Jan 22, 12:00 PM MST
    Premiere

    The Yarrow Theatre

    Park City

    Closed CaptionClosed Caption

  • Jan 23, 10:20 AM MST
    Screening

    Megaplex Redstone - 3

    Park City

    Open CaptionOpen Caption

  • Jan 30, 3:00 PM MST
    Screening

    Holiday Village Cinemas - 3

    Park City

    Closed CaptionClosed Caption

  • Jan 31, 3:30 PM MST
    Screening

    Holiday Village Cinemas - 1

    Park City

    Closed CaptionClosed Caption

  • Jan 29, 3:00 PM GMT -
    Feb 2, 6:55 AM GMT
    Online Screening

    Closed CaptionClosed Caption

Credits

  • Director(s)

    David Alvarado

  • Screenwriter

    David Alvarado

  • Producer

    David Alvarado

    Lauren DeFilippo

    Everett Katigbak

    Amanda Pollak

  • Executive Producer

    Stephen Ives

    Michael Kantor

    Carrie Lozano

    Stanley Nelson

    Sandie Viquez Pedlow

    Marcia Smith

  • Edited by

    Daniel Chávez-Ontiveros

  • Archival Producer

    Jennifer Petrucelli

  • Director of Photography

    Zachary Fink

  • Music Composer

    Eduardo Arenas

  • Narrated by

    Edward James Olmos

  • Sound Design/Mix

    Peter Albrechtsen, MPSE

  • Colorist

    Robert Arnold

  • Additional Editor

    Ben Sozanski, ACE

Meet the Artist

Panelist Name

David Alvarado

  • Twitter
  • Instagram

High school dropout turned Stanford MFA David Alvarado directs and produces award-winning documentaries, including Bill Nye: Science Guy, We Are as Gods, and The Immortalists. Pioneering record-breaking Kickstarter and branded funding models, this Latino filmmaker chronicles trailblazers in science, arts, and human rights.

You May Also Like

U.S. Documentary Competition
sd_banner_img

Nuisance Bear

FilmUnFillFavIcon

A polar bear is forced to navigate a human world of tourists, wildlife officers, and hunters as its ancient migration collides with modern life. When a sacred predator is branded a nuisance, it becomes unclear who truly belongs in this shared landscape.

(1hr 30mins)
U.S. Documentary Competition
sd_banner_img

Who Killed Alex Odeh?

FilmUnFillFavIcon

The assassination of a beloved Palestinian American activist in Southern California ignites a 40-year quest for justice, revealing the roots of a dangerous political movement that thrives today.

(1hr 24mins)
World Cinema Documentary Competition
sd_banner_img

Birds of War

FilmUnFillFavIcon

The love story of a London-based Lebanese journalist and a Syrian activist and cameraman as told through 13 years of personal archives across revolutions, war, and exile.

(1hr 32mins)
U.S. Documentary Competition
sd_banner_img

Joybubbles

FilmUnFillFavIcon

Joybubbles discovers he can manipulate the telephone system by whistling a magic tone. Born blind and yearning for connection, his early obsession unwittingly lays the groundwork for a subculture that shapes the future of hacking and technology.

(1hr 19mins)

FESTIVAL HOST STATE

Sponsor

FESTIVAL HOST STATE

FESTIVAL HOST STATE

FESTIVAL HOST STATE