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SAMPLE OF AUDIENCE RESPONSES
WEAVING THE PAST: JOURNEY OF DISCOVERY
LAEMMLE PLAYHOUSE 7 THEATRICAL ENGAGEMENT
AUGUST 15 TO AUGUST 28, 2014
Weaving the Past: Journey of Discovery stirs something special in the hearts of many who see it. We were fortunate enough to meet and mingle with so many wonderful people who came out to see the film. The Opening Night and Q&A session screenings were usually followed by unofficial Q&A’s at El Portal Restaurant, where we got a chance to hear from audience members themselves and listen to some Weaving the Past stories of their own. In fact, those evenings at El Portal may have been our favorite part of the whole screening run. They are times one wishes could last forever.
So many of the guests we met (and many that we didn’t) followed up with us via Facebook and left comments about the film that made us humble. We’ve compiled some to share with you. If you would like to leave a comment of your own or just follow us on Facebook, our page is here.
This is what our guests had to say…
“This was the most amazing film about finding your roots and the experiences and history that allowed this man to be so great. It did open my eyes on my culture as a Mexican-American. Everyone should go see this movie. I learned so much.” – Maggie Cardenas
“Saw it last Saturday…loved it! So proud to be Mexican-American.” – Marlen Garcia
“En hora Buena! Way to go!” – Ricardo Reyes
“We all loved the movie, what a fascinating story well told!” – Jonathan Brown
“Weaving the Past: Journey of Discovery, an amazing documentary by Walter Dominguez and Executive Produced by Shelley Morrison (“Rosario” from Will & Grace). We (my sister and I) had the wonderful opportunity to watch and transport ourselves through this inexplicable journey and labor of love. I encourage EVERYONE to make it a point to see this documentary. It will truly make you appreciate your family lineage, the struggles your ancestors might have gone through and the reality that we in some way carry a part of them in us. Please don’t miss this riveting experience and remarkable film.” – Betty Rodriguez-Sanchez
“I saw the film yesterday, and not only did I enjoy it I Loved it!” – Marie Figueroa
“Great Film!!! I loved it!!” – Alma Rose Rodriguez
“Went to see the movie last night in Pasadena. Incredibly well done, touching biography set in the historical background of the years leading to the Mexican revolution. DO NOT MISS IT!” – Janine Souffront
“Great journey for all!” – Nina Ehlig
“Awesome film!” – Lourdes Hernandez-Orizabal
“I just loved it. I liked looking at your grandparents and dad. There were two older ladies that reminded me of my grandma Govea. The little town reminded me of where my dad was born and my grandparents are from. My dad is from Pénjamo, Guanajuato, Mexico. I got to see it first hand and I did cry. Made me so happy. Thank for such a great story.” – Rita Govea
“My great grandfather fought under Pancho Villa in the war. His name was Leopoldo Espino, and watching your film makes me want to dig deeper into my DNA.” – Gary Baca (KPFK FM Public Radio)
“Captivating. Just saw it at the Laemmle today. Had everything: history, drama, great cinematography and inspiration. And the music was outstanding. The story had universal themes at core and simply fascinating history even for a general audience that may not have any familiarity with Mexican history. I particularly enjoyed the spoken narrative tinged as it was with emotion and poetic nuance. The cinematography was fabulous–such shots of the natural beauty of the locales you visited in Mexico. Felicitaciones! I will spread the word.” – Augie Medina
“Outstanding!! So real and in the moment. I followed it like it was just happening.” – Yolanda Magallanes
“Mystery, compelling connections, dedication that cannot be denied. Those are phrases that come to mind when I think back on the docudrama – ‘Weaving the Past.’ …It is about place, about choice, about family, and about history as recalled in an oral tradition … It is by asking these sorts of questions that our ancestors become more real, more flesh and blood.” – Roberta H. Martínez
“I am still processing my experience with Weaving the Past. I saw it Friday night for the second time. Here is what I am thinking… That Walter and Shelley would spend so many years and so much of their time and energy on this journey makes me feel encouraged to follow my own intuitive longings and find what is important to me and my life. That Walter is so publicly vulnerable helps me be more of who I am. I would love to hear others’ experience.” – Wanda Jewell
“I loved this!!!” – Jeannette Aguirre
“A wonderful film. Thank you for sharing this amazing story with us!” – John King
“Walter you should be so proud of your work and that film. Everyone should see it. John and I both loved it!” – Bruce Dent
“What an exquisite film! I was transported by your images and narration. I laughed with your family and appreciated the truth, the search and the history. Your 13-year odyssey is an example to follow. The experience had to be healing and renovating to the spirit. The film does exactly what it’s supposed to do: create wonder, arouse questions and curiosity and enlighten the spirit. Enjoy this special day. The baby is one day old! Congratulations Shelley and Walter!” – Carlos Manuel Aguilar
“Just want to congratulate the makers of this beautiful and historic movie! I thoroughly enjoyed it. Loved the way he (the writer, producer, director) persevered until he unveiled his grandfather’s legacy! I highly recommend it! Hopefully it will be released to general audiences as I think the themes are applicable everyone! Felicitaciones a los productores!!” – Rosa Eshaq
“DeAnne and I very much enjoyed seeing the film last night. We returned from vacation on Monday, and took the first opportunity to go see it. It was very much a personal journey on your part, but it made us think of the era when we were growing up and how little we really knew about our grandparents and earlier ancestors and their struggles. And I learned much that I didn’t know about the Mexican revolution and the conditions inside the U.S.A. and Mexico in that era.” – Byron Hayes, Jr.
“Thank you so much for inviting us last night. Your film is very moving and impactful.” – Karen and Kat Kramer
“I viewed this inspirational documentary on Tuesday at the Laemmle theatre in Pasadena and thought it was so rich in history in the California and Mexico areas. This is just an example of each and every one of our lives in the Mexican-American community. Shows our past, our blood lines and where we really come from.” – Mark Marquez
“Congratulations on a beautiful film and on your personal journey discovering strength and optimism from your grandfather’s life and history. It definitely got me thinking about my family and our connections or lack thereof! Thank you for sharing your life with us!”
– Lisa Rothman Rogg
“Saw it yesterday at the Laemmle Pasadena. Fascinating. Really enjoyed it. Came home and started reading about Práxedis Guerrero, La Revolución, Porfirio Díaz. So interesting!” – Eva Anda Regalado Shatkin
“I just saw it. It is excellent.” – Mary Rose Ortega
“Amazing accomplishment!” – Enrique Baloyra
“Great movie. I think we all can relate to our own families’ journey in life.” – Michael A. Cabral
“Congratulations on your beautiful film! It was stunning …and so interesting and educational. I enjoyed it so very much! And it was great sitting with your lovely mother…what a wonderful time!” – Margaret Holmes Tibbets
“Documentary Filmmaking is the complex process of creating a travelogue of memories. It refers to what people do with media devices, content, form, and production strategies in order to address the creative, ethical, and conceptual problems and choices that arise as they make documentaries.
A documentary film is a creative treatment of actuality, a non-fiction motion picture intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record. “Documentary” is a “filmmaking practice, a cinematic tradition, and mode of audience reception” that is continually evolving and is without clear boundaries. ‘WEAVING THE PAST: JOURNEY OF DISCOVERY’ is all of the above.” Carlos Manuel Aguilar
“Very moving… awesome journey.” – David Paul Turpin
“Kudos Walter!” – Kathy McDonald Zuorski
“I loved it!” – Divy Karolyi
“Congratulations! Please people in SoCal, see this movie! I hope that Renee Tajima-Peña might be able to get Gabe and Armando there, too. I flew down for the premiere a week plus ago, and it was well worth the airline ticket plus! Bravo to Walter Dominguez for his work and for the love that must have powered him through the development and making of this fascinating film. I learned so much and on many levels. Barbara Williamson perhaps it could be viewed in your course sometime.” – Pam Tajima Praeger
“Everyone must see this: powerful, dynamic, uplifting, passionate, historical and true story. You will be so inspired after leaving the theater, that you will begin to become more involved in helping humanity and working for: peace, unity, justice, equality and harmony among all people. Don’t miss the opportunity to see the film. THUMBS-UP.” – Nat Nehdar
“We just got home from taking our friend to see Weaving the Past. It is such a profound film. I hope it gets lots of play. And the theatre was full too. Amazing also how timely are all the issues it covers!” – Mary Ann McDonald Swenson
“I would like to share with you my thoughts after watching the documentary Weaving The Past. This documentary had a profound effect on me. It brought to light aspects of the Mexican revolution I was unaware of. You are given, in detail, what life was like for a small group of individuals who were the impetus of the revolution. Aside from the educational tenets of the film, one is able to deduce that Walter Dominguez, the film’s creator, is not only searching for his beloved “Tata’s” past and family, but is also beginning to discover aspects of himself in the process. Watching this reminded me of Alex Haley’s experience in writing “Roots”.
I personally spent my entire childhood attending El Buen Pastor Methodist Church in Santa Paula, CA. I met Reverend Hernandez “Tata”, when I was a child. Watching this film was like watching my own family history. For Mexican Americans whose parents and grandparents migrated during the years of, and following the Mexican revolution, I would think that Weaving The Past touches a very sentimental chord. It did with me and my friends who saw it. Thank you Walter and those involved for creating this film!!! Bravo!” – Paul S. Pineda
“I want to see it again!!” – Margaret Holmes Tibbetts
“I am going to see the movie again! It was a great movie!” – Maggie Cardenas
“Congratulations, Walter and Shelley!” – Ed Robertson
“Just a brief note to express how moving I felt your film was. Everyone in my party was so impressed and it was particularly impactful on the two of us with Mexican roots. My story has similarities to yours and our family so regrets not having any real clue as to the lives of our family in Mexico. But, beyond the personal, it was just wonderful film making and the history of those revolutionary times in Mexico so revealing. My husband was talking it up at Rotary on Monday and we were surprised at how few were aware of the film. I would have blasted it if I had known…. the local paper reporter was at the table and so we sent her your stuff. Hope it can be shown in Santa Paula at some point. We have a Regency here and, although our theater is not one of their art houses (they do have some houses that specialize in offbeat films like the Laemmle), they have occasionally run films with special interest to the Hispanic community. Again, thanks, Walter.” – Leslie Nichols, Santa Paula Theater Center
“Wherever you are it will be worth your drive!” – Rosa Eshaq
“My four grandchildren and I are going to see movie because this is truly a great movie!” – Maggie Cardenas
“Saw it during its first week. Awesome. The story line, the voice narrative, the cinematography, the history; it was all there in superlative form.” – Augie Medina
“It is an amazing documentary and it literally transports us through your wonderful journey! Congratulations!!” – Betty Rodriguez-Sanchez
“Great turnouts! Great responses! ‘How much longer is it going to run?’ “Educational!’ “Captured the essence of a search!’ ” – Quito Hernandez
“Saw it, enjoyed it!” – Linda Galvan
“This a photo I took of Walter on his Premiere opening night of “WEAVING THE PAST”, which, turned out amazing! Packed house, very positive feedback. Thank you Kit and Ellen Campbell for your support. I had to publish Walter’s letter. It is such an insight to the kind of person Walter is. I have always felt better about myself when leaving Walter. Thank you Walter for inspiring all of us with your presence and your gift of rhetoric and now visual presentation that is of importance to all of us.” – Lea Hernandez Black
“Congrats to team Dominguez. Fantastic heart warming movie that grabs you and draws you right in from the very beginning.” – Alan Santana
“My dearest esteemed colleagues how I applaud your exitoso labor of love. Beautiful picture congratulations to you all! I’m sure there will be many more to come.” – Sandra De La Cruz
“Congratulations Walter. Powerful personal journey!” – Gabriel Romero
“It was a wonderful movie. Incredibly I had just returned from Chihuahua tracing my lineage. The real treasure was the welcome by a legion of cousins who I never knew. It was beyond wonderful. What a blessing to be able to discover our roots and find that the missing part of our heart and soul can be found. We all need to tell our stories and prove to Vroman’s etc that there are books about us that can fill their “Ethnic History” shelves.” – Alberto Juarez
“Every one should see this great film. You will be inspired, uplifted, thought provoked, impassioned and motivated to do your part of contribution to human society. Walter and Shelley congratulations.” – Nat Nehdar
“Walter–I saw your documentary at the Laemmle Pasadena yesterday. It was awesome. It grabbed my attention right away because I was born in Santa Paula. The story had universal themes at core and simply fascinating history even for a general audience which may not have any familiarity with Mexican history. I particularly enjoyed the spoken narrative tinged as it was with emotion and poetic nuance. The cinematography was fabulous–such shots of the natural beauty of the locales you visited in Mexico. Felicitaciones! I will spread the word. As a former legal adviser to the National Association of Latino Independent Producers, I have many friends who are filmmakers primarily in the genre of documentary so from their experience I can appreciate the years of sangre, sudor y lagrimas you must have put into this project. What a great result!” – Augie Medina
AUDIENCE RESPONSE FROM PREVIOUS SCREENINGS:
CHAPLIN THEATER PREVIEW SCREENING
Last year, we held a private preview screening for Weaving the Past: Journey of Discovery at Raleigh Studios’ Chaplin Theater.
The film received tears of joy and a rousing standing ovation from the audience. In attendance were people who worked on the film, friends of the project, many wonderful members of the Emilio Hernandez Family and avid film lovers who chose to spend their St. Patrick’s Day evening with us. Thank you all for coming!
Afterwards, several audience members took the time to share their thoughts about the film. See what they had to say…
Wow!
Below are more of the many wonderful comments we received after that screening!
“Dear Walter, thanks for a great showing. It is a fantastic documentary. Congratulations!” – Albino Pineda (friend of Emilio Hernandez)
“Walter…last night was amazing. Thank you so much for allowing us into your world, past/history. I’m grateful. Have a blessed day.” – Will Gelhaar (psychologist, writer)
“What an amazing documentary Walter!!! My friend and I were taking about it – I was so taken with your beginning and the events and timing that led you to unlock your family’s past were so well portrayed that I felt like part of your journey. Well done!!!” – Linda Baker (founder of A.N.G.E.L.S. Day)
“I congratulate both of you for such a great film!!! THANK YOU, OUTSTANDING!!” – Betty Venegas Huebner
“Thank you so much for the great honor of being invited to join you on your amazing, and for me, game changing Journey of Discovery. I cannot begin to tell you how differently I came away from the movie. Not only the insight that you brought about your own longing for connection to your Tata and the eye opening journey of the Mexican people, but the way Ive been thinking about my own family since last night. I am in deep gratitude.” – Robin McDonald (actor, comedienne)
“I was deeply moved by Walter’s passionate journey to find the missing links to his past. I loved all the old photos, and the film itself was shot so well. I really liked seeing all the fact-finding locations the filmmakers visited, and I learned so much about Mexico’s history which I never knew before!” – Anne
“What a fantastic film! So moving and well-constructed. We both teared up, and among other things I’m especially impressed with the sheer amount of research that went into it. Congratulations on a wonderful evening.” – Mark Wild (professor of history, Cal State LA)
“Both Sally and I want to thank you and Shelley for a wonderful viewing evening and congratulate you on a powerfully moving film. Thank you for this inspiring tapestry woven from your grandfather’s life of love and service, from the troubling and inspiring story of social injustice and the PLM, and from your own quest for identity and meaning in history… Thanks to you and Shelley for the memories.” – Rennie B. Schoepflin (Associate Dean of College of Letters & Natural Sciences, Cal State LA)
“Outstanding job Shel and Walter. Really enjoyed the journey and the enlightening story of your family’s many fascinating twists and turns. Your story speaks to so many people and will, no doubt, inspire others to understand their histories and paths in life. Ruth and I were honored to be included.” – Trey Baskett (LAPD mounted patrol police officer)
MUSEUM OF SOCIAL JUSTICE BENEFIT SCREENING
Also last year, we held a private preview screening at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Linwood Dunn Theater to benefit the Museum of Social Justice.
Hundreds of wonderful people came out to see Weaving the Past and support the Museum. We could not be more grateful.
Here is a clip from the Red Carpet reception and some audience reaction to the film. Enjoy!
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