I AM JOAQUIN

20 minutes

Country: USA/Latino

Year: 1969

Language: English and Spanish

Overview:

This documentary marked the emergence of film as a distinct cultural and aesthetic practice within the Chicano Movement. In the film, Luis Valdez gives a dramatic interpretation of Rudilfo "Corky" Gonzalez's epic poem: I Am Joaquin. This powerful film delineates all the contradictions of the Chicano experience over a 500-year genealogy of mestizo resistance.

Previewing Activities

• What is the “chicano” movement?
• What do you think that an epic poem about the Mexican struggles would most want to highlight?
• Based on what you know about Mexican culture, what do you think was the most difficult time period?

Post-viewing Activities

• What did you think of the images that accompanied the reading of this poem?
• Do you think that the message was clearly portrayed by the speaker?
• Name three people mentioned in the

Class Projects

• Read the actual poem “I am Joaquin” and write a short essay describing your opinion on its message.

How to Borrow this Video:

The videos owned by the UNC-Duke Consortium in Latin American and Caribbean Studies are housed in the Outreach Office of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.  They are lent free of charge.  For information on films and reservations, please visit http://isa.unc.edu/film/films_main.asp.