In August 1942, the murder of a young Mexican American man ignited a firestorm in Los Angeles. The press claimed Mexican youth – know as "zoot-suiters" for the clothes they wore – were terrorizing the city with crime. The police arrested 600 Mexican Americans while seventeen were found guilty for murder despite a lack of evidence. With stunning film noir re-creations, evocative original photography and moving interviews, this documentary tells the story of the trial and the resulting violent events of the summer of 1943.
Type: DocumentaryLength: 60 minutes
Year: 2002
Audio Language: English
Subtitles:
Themes: History, Latinos/Chicanos, USA
Director(s): Joseph Tovares
