Review: ‘A Song for Cesar’ reveals the beating heart of culture-driven activism

Each on occasion, it’s good to be reminded that artwork can carry an essential motion, and that definitely was the case with La Causa, Cesar Chavez’s groundbreaking farmworker motion within the ’60s and ’70s. A brand new (however lengthy within the making) documentary from Andres Alegria and Abel Sanchez, “A Track for Cesar,” collects a large refrain of testimonials — and some performances — from artists throughout music, artwork and theater to color an image of what that culture-driven activism regarded like.

Chavez, a music-loving zoot suiter in his youth who by no means handed a chance to scour a file retailer, understood the facility of songs and artwork when it got here to amplifying his message of combating for higher working and dwelling situations for the campesinos in California’s fertile fields. Malaquías Montoya speaks to how Chavez impressed the flourishing of his inventive progress. Luis Valdez and Agustín Lira recall how his help for his or her sharp-edged skits on the backs of flatbed vehicles grew to become the premise for the legendary El Teatro Campesino.

Music is what will get probably the most display time, between the filmed recording classes of protest songs (many that includes the spirited participation of co-director/musician Sanchez) and remembrances — from Joan Baez, Taj Mahal, Carlos Santana, Daniel Valdez, Cheech Marin and numerous others — of the period’s energetic, youth-infused and various profit live shows supporting the UFW’s mission. As Tower of Energy member Emilio Castillo says at one level, “The occasions affected the music, and the music affected the occasions.”

Although typically roughly assembled in its sweep of archival footage, witnessing and efficiency, as a celebration of a monumental determine in politics and tradition, “A Track for Cesar” doesn’t should be slick to disclose its beating coronary heart. It’s the form of labor of affection that brings current historical past into colourful and tuneful focus. And with situations for farmworkers as of late hardly tolerable nonetheless, perhaps this film might be absorbed as a music “from” Cesar too.