Who is luis valdez

Create a list ». Greatest Directors--U-V. National Film Registry Directors. Favorite directors. Filmmakers With a Place in This World. See all related lists ». Do you have a demo reel? Add it to your IMDb page. Find out more at IMDbPro ». How Much Have You Seen? How much of Luis Valdez's work have you seen? A's See more polls ». See more awards ». Photos 1 video ». Known For. La Bamba Director. Zoot Suit Director. The comedy broke new ground by sending up racist stereotypes of Mexican-Americans.

At the age of six, Valdez had begun working in the fields of the San Joaquin Valley, helping his father, mother and a long list of relatives, all of whom made their living as farm workers. While neither of his parents had gone beyond elementary school, education was highly regarded and talked about constantly at home, says Valdez, the second of 10 children.

It was a stable job, it was year-round, and it meant that I would be indoors. His point of view was so unique and absent from the theatre world at the time that his theater professor and mentor Dr.

Harold Crain made the unusual suggestion that Valdez direct his own play and then guided him through the production. Valdez also adopted a convention in his plays that he's used ever since: featuring dialogue in both English and Spanish and jumping from one language to the other. In the early s, the urgency for Valdez was twofold: the lack of writers or playwrights from his culture and also the growing movement for farm workers' rights, especially those of migrant workers like Valdez's own family.

From to , the Agricultural Workers Organizing Committee and the National Farm Workers Association now the United Farm Workers organized labor strikes against California grape growers to improve wages, education, working conditions and legal protections. Valdez's breakthrough into mainstream America, however, had come earlier that summer. He had written and directed La Bamba, the screen biography of Ritchie Valens, the s Mexican American rock-and-roll singer.

Audiences across America learned not only about the tragically short life of Valens but also about the lifestyle and other elements of the Mexican American community. The movie was an overwhelming box office success. Lubenow of Newsweek.

It's part of America, like Cajun music. He has also remained artistic director for El Teatro Campesino. In the process, he believes he is simply exposing America to another part of itself. All rights reserved. Learns Techniques of Agitprop After graduating from college in , Valdez joined the San Francisco Mime Troupe, but he couldn't give up telling stories and writing plays.

La Bamba Brings Attention Valdez remained determined to reach a national audience. Newsweek, May 4, , p.