Writer-director Luis Valdez will be our special guest for this screening. He’ll sit down for an interview onstage prior to the film. February 3, 1959 is known as “the day the music died,” when American rock pioneers Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and the Big Bopper were killed in a plane crash. Valens was the youngest of the three. He was only 17, but made a tremendous (and lasting) impact on rock and roll. Written and directed by Luis Valdez, La Bamba depicts Valens’ (Lou Diamond Philips) life, including his humble beginnings as a California farm-laborer to his overnight success and rise to fame in the music industry. With a vibrant soundtrack that captures the spirits of the era and an inspired performance by Phillips, La Bamba takes viewers back in time to capture the essence of Valens’ musical legacy. A powerful film that not only honors a musical legend, but highlights Mexican-American achievements in filmmaking. — Keri Moe
