Riverhorse signed deal with PBS in California to broadcast ‘Under the Bridge’ a documentary on Mexican-American identity.
The film was previewed at last year’s Viva film festival in Manchester and tells the story of Chicano Park in San Diego.
Chicano Park was created in 1970 when residents of San Diego’s Barrio Logan objected to the building of a Highway Patrol substation in their neighbourhood. They had been promised a park on the same piece of land under the Coronado bridge. The community’s battle for the park came to play a central and symbolic role in the Mexican-American civil rights struggle.
Today, the park is a living museum of Chicano art and culture and is a focal point for an ongoing struggle against the continued marginalisation of many Mexicans living in the United States.
Speaking about the PBS deal, director Mike Todd stated that:
This is a very complex story. There aren’t many places for films like this on television but PBS in America is one of the spaces. We’re really pleased it’s going to be shown and hope the film can contribute to the debate around some of these important issues.
Programming Manager at KPBS Jill Linder described the doc as a
a very interesting and meaningful film.
The first showing of the documentary will be on San Diego’s KPBS network, with other screenings to follow throughout the year.
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“Under the Bridge” airs on KPBS 30 April
