Cesar Chavez Movie Premiers Next Week March 28

By: Cindy G. Castillo

The first major motion picture about an icon for Latinos in the United States was four years in the making.

A collaboration between the Cesar Chavez Foundation and Director Diego Luna, the Movie Cesar Chavez narrates the epic battles and historic events farm workers made possible.

“I am really happy; it’s finally here, we’re celebrating everyone in the movement and everyone in the film,” Luna said.

The City of Phoenix decked out to present the first red-carpet showing of the film at the Orpheum Theatre on Thursday.

“Cesar (Chavez) of course is a legend and his story deserves to be told and retold through as many generations as possible,” Mayor Greg Stanton said.

The film captures the spirit and humanity of Cesar Chavez, a man who, in his own words, taught ordinary people to do extraordinary things. He became an inspiration to multitudes from all different walks of life.

“You want to make sure you tell the story to all, to those who don’t know who Cesar Chavez was, don’t know

Film Director: Diego Luna
Photo Credit: Cindy G. Castillo

what the farm worker movement did. They need to know it’s about them,” Luna said.

Luna exposes the difficulties and the struggles that the Chavez family experienced, and he understands the responsibility it entails.

“It’s so much pressure for everyone that helped out in this project because the film means so much to so many people,” he said.

In the movie Cesar Chavez, which is released in theaters nationwide on March 28, 2014 the main actor Michael Pena echoes Cesar’s words from 30 years ago, “Once a social change begins, it can’t be eliminated. You can’t acculturate someone you’ve taught to read. You can’t humiliate someone who is proud of themselves, and you can’t oppress someone who isn’t afraid.”

The Cesar Chavez Foundation seeks to honor Cesar Chavez’ legacy by inviting the public to sign an online petition asking President Obama to make March 31st, Cesar Chavez’ birthdate, a national day of service.

To sign the petition visit http://chavezfoundation.org or www.takepart.com/chavez16