Latino Public Broadcasting (LPB) has selected Children of GIANT(Galan Inc.) for development funding from their 2011 Public Media Content Fund. LPB has awarded a first phase grant to Hector Galán to produce the feature-length documentary project. Children of Giant explores social issues throughout history, weaving a scenic exploration of the Academy Award winning film, George Stevens’ Giant, and contemporary interviews. The film will include interviews with local people in Marfa, many of whom were involved with the making of Giant, as well as cast members and production crew. Pre-production began in 2011 and will commence again in summer 2012 thanks to this grant by LPB. Children of Giant is directed by Hector Galán.  Executive producers are Carolyn Pfeiffer and Hector Galán  and producers, Karen Bernstein and Evy Galán.

Now available on DVD at Texas Folklife

The Big Squeeze is a joyful leap into the heart of Texas music. And where there’s music there’s usually some grilling going on. That’s why Herminio Ramirez builds a stage right in the tiny kitchen of their Houston home for his son John. From the urban barrios of Houston to the colonias along the U.S.-Mexican border, legacies fueled by the passion-stirring combination of family, friends and food, is being passed along. In The Big Squeeze, we follow 16 year old John Ramirez and other young musicians as they do battle at the statewide accordion throwdown.

The Big Squeeze had  its world premiere at the 2009 SXSW Film and Music Festival in Austin Texas.  Convention Center.

The Big Squeeze is a Production of Galán Inc for Texas Folklife.

Spanning a period of almost eighty years, this inspirational and compelling film captures the life and legacy of Patrick Flores, the first Mexican American to be appointed Bishop in the history of the Catholic Church. The film chronicles his childhood and early years as a migrant farm worker, high school drop out and cantina musician. Patrick Flores dreamed of becoming a priest, a nearly impossible goal for a Mexican American in those days in Texas. The film is a microcosm of the struggles and triumphs of Mexican Americans. The film captures Patrick’s amazing journey to the top hierarchy of the Catholic Church, becoming one of the most influential Latino leaders in the United States.

PBS Broadcasts: Summer/Fall 2008. Check local listings for future re-broadcasts.

Now available on DVD! Check the catalog link above.

The Big Squeeze is a joyful leap into the heart of Texas music, from the urban barrios of Houston, to the colonias of the Rio Grande Valley, we find young musicians carrying on a passionate musical legacy fueled by family, friends, and food. The film follows them as they battle at the annual accordion throwdown.

The Big Squeeze is a Production of Galán Inc for Texas Folklife, and now available on DVD at  Texas Folklife

After a childhood of playing cantinas and honky tonks, Los Lonely Boys blazed onto the music scene with a 2004 self-titled debut release that went multi-platinum and a 2005 Grammy win for their hit single, “Heaven”. The Garza brothers- Henry, Jojo, and Ringo- have a unique signature sound they call “Texican”. Los Lonely Boys Cottonfields and Crossroads brings their amazing story to the screen.

Acclaimed documentary filmmaker Hector Galan, himself a San Angelo native, fuses exciting live performances, vivid imagery of West Texas, intimate personal stories told by the band and their family, weaving a historical and cultural perspective on Los Lonely Boys, their Mexican-American roots and musical influences.

The film had its world premiere at the 2006 SXSW film festival and its West Coast Premiere at the Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival. It was nominated for a 2007 Imagen Award for Best Documentary film and screened at the 3rd annual Turks & Caicos International Film Festival in October 2007.

National PBS Television Broadcast: Sept. 2008.

Film’s website: Los Lonely Boys Cottonfields and Crossroads

For Press/Reviews, go to LLB Doc/Press
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SIX-EPISODE PBS SERIES
The award winning VISIONES:LATINO ART & CULTURE is a journey through the music, words, dance, painting and performance of rich Latino cultures made more complex and fascinating by their history in our country. The series explores how contemporary Latino artists continue to build on rich traditions that reflect a unique multi-ethnic experience, taking established art forms and reinventing them, constantly challenging themselves and the communities which nurture them. From New York City’s break-dancers to mural-painters in Los Angeles and Chicago to theater in Texas, the series offers a unique cross section of Latino artists working today.

A co-production of the National Association of Latino Art & Culture and Galán Productions, Inc. Presented by ITVS, co-presented by Latino Public Broadcasting. Executive Producers: Hector Galán and Sally Jo Fifer (ITVS)

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