A NOTE FROM THE FILMMAKERS

When we saw how seductive and intoxicating the Oñate monument is, we were both inspired and heartbroken.  Inspired by its majesty and its raw power, awestruck by the extraordinary talent of its sculptor, John Houser.  But we were also saddened because it was clear to us that the statue does not seem to capture an important part of our legacy:  the madness and horror of what we have done to one another and how that trauma continues to affect our lives today.  Why so many from our community can’t respectfully acknowledge the dark edifice of our past and extend a somber embrace to our Indian brothers and sisters is perplexing to us.  After all, as Mexican-Americans we do share in their history, their culture — and it is their blood that runs through our veins.

We can easily imagine that for the next thousand years as people look upon this statue, they may believe  that it depicts a great man whose deeds, values and exploits represent the best of who we are; that our culture and our civilization believed he was worthy of  being enshrined and idolized for all time in magnificent  bronze.  They may conclude that his values, his actions,  his determination and his vision are worthy of their  aspiration.  They may come to see him as a hero, a founding father to be emulated, and his world-view to  be propagated.  We think there are many in El Paso, in the American Southwest, and across our great land who  already believe this deep in their hearts. This has given us pause, and cause for sober reflection.

We hope The Last Conquistador contributes to awareness, not only of the triumphs of history, but also of the failures, the tragedies and the humiliation.  We believe that viewers must be trusted to examine historical and contemporary questions in all their complexity, including legacies of prejudice and discrimination, resilience and courage.  This trust encourages people to develop a voice in ongoing civic conversations in their community and across the nation.

Lastly, we hope The Last Conquistador promotes an understanding of different perspectives, competing truths and the need to comprehend one’s own motives and assumptions as well as those of others.  The film asks difficult questions about the role and responsibility of the artist.  It examines issues of memory and judgment with an eye toward moral and perceptual complexity and the ways in which the deep divides of difference resonate from history into the present along class, racial, ethnic and cultural lines.  With Juan de Oñate’s stunning resurrection in exquisite bronze comes the painful knowledge that his anguished legacy still haunts the land.

John J. Valadez and Cristina Ibarra

Filmmakers, THE LAST CONQUISTADOR

NEW YORK , MAY  2008

Dear Viewer,

When we first saw the statue of Juan de Oñate, it seemed to be calling us home to face our roots, making us think back to what it was like growing up Mexican American.  In retrospect, we were cultural contortionists straddling the literal and psychological borders all around us.  In the process we saw that many Mexican-Americans were embracing their Indian roots and were calling themselves Chicanos.  Others were struggling to disassociate themselves from that aspect of our heritage and were calling themselves Hispanics.  It is a joy to be Mexican-American, and we love who we are.  But it can also be confounding.