RTF Fall Colloquium: Screening and Q&A with Filmmaker Efraín Gutiérrez

A screening in honor of the 50th anniversary of the release of “Please, Don’t Bury Me Alive!” / “¡Por favor, no me entierren vivo!” (1976) the first Chicano feature film, followed by a Q&A with the filmmaker. 

The first Chicano feature, “Please, Don’t Bury Me Alive!”/ “¡Por favor, no me entierren vivo!” (1976), celebrates its 50th anniversary this year! Made by San Antonio filmmaker Efraín Gutiérrez, the film follows Alejandro (played by Gutiérrez), as he makes difficult life choices from the limited options that are available to him during the era of the Vietnam War. Independently produced and distributed, “Please, Don't Bury Me Alive!” was a regional success and commanded lines around the block at the time of its release. In 2014, the Library of Congress recognized the film as an important part of American film heritage when it added the title to the National Film Registry, a list of “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant" films selected for preservation. “Please, Don't Bury Me Alive!” is a rare exploration of South Texas Chicano culture during the 1970s, and it continues to inspire and resonate with audiences, to this day. Don't miss the opportunity to see this historic film and filmmaker Efraín Gutiérrez, who will be present for a Q&A that will follow this special 50th anniversary screening.

CLICK HERE to view the first five minutes of the film.

About Efraín Gutiérrez

Efraín Gutiérrez is a Mexican-American filmmaker from the Westside of San Antonio, Texas. Inspired by the Chicano Movement of the 1960s and 70s, Gutiérrez directed, produced, co-wrote, acted in, and self-distributed the first Chicano feature film, “Please, Don’t Bury Me Alive!”/ “¡Por favor, no me entierren vivo!” (1976). The film celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, and in 2014, it was included in the National Film Registry, the National Film Preservation Board’s list of “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant” films selected for preservation by the Library of Congress. Along with Gutiérrez’s next two features, “Amor Chicano Es Para Siempre” / “Chicano Love is Forever” (1977) and “Run, Tecato, Run” (1979), Please, Don’t Bury Me Alive! explores the struggles and experiences of Chicanos living in Texas in ways that had not been done before. Gutiérrez has continued to make films, including more recent works, such as “A Lowrider Spring Break in San Quilmas” (2001) and “Barrio Tales: Tops, Kites and Marbles” (2008).

Presented as part of the Latino Media Arts and Studies Speaker Series (LMAS).

The Latino Media Arts and Studies (L-MAS) Speaker Series is coordinated by faculty in Radio-Television-Film, with support from RTF, the Moody College, and other campus partners. It has a three-fold mission: to support the growth of Latina/o/x film, television, and media, to inspire student media makers and scholars, and to foster Latina/o/x media studies scholarship. 

The L-MAS Speaker Series shares a mission with the Latino Media Arts & Studies undergraduate minor, which enables students to take a range of courses of Latina/o/x cultures, media production, and scholarship. With an overlapping focus, the series hosts a range of media makers, screenwriters and scholars who share their work and personal stories of working in and studying Latinx media storytelling.

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