BorninSanAntonio,Texas,in1941,acclaimedfilmmakerSeveroPerezmovedtoLosAngelesin1972topursueacareerinthemotionpictureindustry.Hisfilmshavewonawards,includingfiveCINEGoldenEagles.Perezisalsoanaccomplishedplaywrightandnovelist.Filmmaker’sJourneyoffersvaluableinsightsintothelifeandworkofthisinfluentialandvisionaryartist.Perez’s1995film...andtheEarthDidNotSwallowHim,perhapshisbest-knownwork,isadaptedfromTom獺sRivera’sclassic1971Chicanonovel...ynoselotrag籀latierra.ThefilmfollowsthelivesofaSouthTexasfamilyofmigrantfarmworkersinthe1950s.Perez’snuanced,powerfulfilmbeautifullyevokesthesubstanceandspiritofRivera’swork,andithaswoninternationalcriticalacclaim,includingtophonorsatfilmfestivalsworldwide.SomeoftheseincludetheSolAwardatthe1995CineSolLatinoFilmFestival,BestFeatureFilmattheSanDiegoIndependentFilmFestival,andBestFeatureFilmattheMinneapolisRivertownFilmFestival.Filmmaker’sJourneyrecountsPerez’swindingpathtowardbuildingacareerasanindependentfilmmaker.Beginningwiththeeventsaccompanyingthefirstweekofproductionfor...andtheEarthDidNotSwallowHim--whichcoincidedwiththeriotsincitedbytheRodneyKingverdictonApril29,1992--thenpickingupthethreadofhisWestsideSanAntonioupbringingandhisearlyfascinationwithmakingmovies,Perezrecountshisexperienceswiththesmallarthouses,theobscurefilmcollectives,andthemovetoLosAngelesthatwouldeventuallylaunchhisforty-five-yearcareerproducingprogrammingforPBS,cable,andnetworktelevision.
