Short film "Razón de ser" poster.
The short film, "Razón de ser: Luis C. Garza," has awarded Best Documentary at the Burbank International Film Festival.
The documentary captures the life and impact of Chicano photographer, Luis C. Garza., illustrating how his lens captured and preserved defining moments of activism that were instrumental in shaping the fight for social justice both in the U.S. and internationally during the 1960s and 1970s.
"It’s incredibly humbling to see my life’s work documented in such a powerful way through this film,” Garza said. “Winning ‘Best Documentary’ at the Burbank International Film Festival is an honor, and I’m grateful to the entire team for their dedication to bringing my journey to the screen.”
A career highlight includes Garza’s documentation of a historic encounter with the legendary Mexican muralist David Alfaro Siqueiros at the 1971 World Peace Conference in Eastern Europe.
At 81 years old, Garza’s prolific body of work—nearly 8,000 film negatives—continues to inspire new generations, as institutions express interest in preserving his legacy. This Best Documentary win serves as a timely recognition of Garza’s enduring influence on photography, Chicano culture and social activism.
“We are deeply honored to receive this recognition from the Burbank International Film Festival,” director Alessandro Gentile said. “Luis Garza’s work is a profound testament to the power of visual storytelling in shaping our understanding of history and activism. This award reaffirms the importance of his contributions, not just as a photographer but as a historian of social movements that have changed the world.”
The film can be seen at these upcoming screenings in Southern California:
East LA Film Festival: Saturday, October 5 @ 11 AM
Highland Park Independent Film Festival: Saturday, October 3 @ 5 PM
Orange County Film Fiesta: Saturday, October 12 @ 3:30 PM
Show & Tale Play, Film & Arts Festival: Saturday, November 9 @ 7 PM
(0) comments
Welcome to the discussion.
Log In
Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person.
Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article.