Cesar Chavez Documentary, ‘A Song for Cesar,’ Sells to Juno Films (EXCLUSIVE)

Brent Lang
·2 min read
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Juno Films has acquired global rights to “A Song for Cesar,” following the film’s debut at the Mill Valley Film Festival this October. Directed and produced by Abel Sanchez and Andrés Alegria, the film is a celebration of the organizers, musicians and artists comprising Cesar Chavez’s Farmworkers movement. Juno Films plans to release the film in the U.S. in early 2022 followed by a national broadcast release. The deal was negotiated by Elizabeth Sheldon, founding partner and CEO of Juno Films.

The film tells a previously untold story about the musicians and artists — including Joan Baez, Maya Angelou and Carlos Santana, among others — who dedicated their time, creativity and reputations to peacefully advance Chavez’s movement of labor organizing in pursuit of better wages and working conditions for farmworkers. The documentary also explores other facets of Chavez’s life — from childhood to his final days — revelations that, until now, have not been shared on screen.

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“’A Song for Cesar’ captures the spirit of a movement that aimed to both bring attention to migrant workers and political change, as well as public awareness through music, murals and poetry,” says Sheldon. “Abel and Andres have created a film that pays tribute to the life of Cesar Chavez and those who spread his message through the arts. We are thrilled to bring this beautiful and timely film to the world.”

“Abel and I launched into a 10 year labor of love, interviewing dozens of artists and activists who told us their stories about playing music, painting murals, doing skits on top of flatbed trucks in the fields of Central California, all in support of the struggle of the farm workers for fair wages and working conditions.” says co-director and co-producer Alegria. “We have found a partner in Juno Films who will bring the film to a wide audience so that a new generation can learn about one of the great civil rights leaders. “

Sanchez says, “We are pleased to be joining with Juno Films as our distributor of ‘Song for Cesar.’ We are confident that with Elizabeth Sheldon at the helm, Juno Films will secure the best partnerships to reach our goal of bringing this important story to the world at large.”

Recent Juno Films’ releases include “What She Said: The Art of Pauline Kael,” “Tiny Tim: King for a Day” and the forthcoming “The Most Beautiful Boy in the World,” a look at Björn Andrésen, star of Luchino Visconti’s “Death in Venice.”

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