GROWING UP WITH GHOSTS
In 1973 a brutal military coup toppled the socialist government of Salvador Allende in Chile, killing and torturing thousands and forcing thousands to flee. In Berkeley, California activists responded by creating La Peña, a cultural center that would welcome the exiles and refugees and keep their values and culture alive. Growing Up With Ghosts weaves together the stories of La Peña’s founders, those who made it their new home, their children who grew up there, and their contemporaries that they have taken over the reins.
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”
– Anthropologist Margaret Mead
Growing Up With Ghosts tells the story of a unique cultural center that has supported the arts and helped communities use culture as a way of understanding and involvement with a range of important social justice issues.
The film is a rich tapestry that combines moving stories of the survival of the human spirit with the haunting melodies of Latin American music, dramatic images of La Peña's iconic mural, and celebrations of poetry, drama and spoken word, and hip-hop. It is a story that has spanned generations, and now, as the next generation comes of age, it is their turn to reimagine a place that shares their elders’ values and adds their own perspectives.
La Peña’s extensive history is the backdrop for our characters’ personal stories as the film explores interpersonal relationships in this mixed ethnic and mixed generational atmosphere. In-depth interviews blend with archival materials and vivid scenes of a wide range of performance.
CREDITS
Producers/Directors: Marilyn Mulford and Aleixo Gonçalves Editor: Michael Chandler Consulting Producer: Rick Tejada-Flores
RELEASE DATE
In Production
La Peña
