Films released in 2018 were diverse, as evidenced by the fact that four of the eight movies nominated for best picture Oscars featured a leading actor who was a person of color. But this is nothing new for UCLA alumni, who have been advocating for creating social and cultural discussions through film for decades.

For a year, beginning on Feb. 1, the UCLA Institute of American Cultures (IAC) and its four ethnic studies centers — American Indian Studies Center, Asian American Studies Center, Ralph J. Bunche Center for African American Studies and Chicano Studies Research Center — are celebrating five decades of changing the cultural and social realities in the U.S. through understanding. The first event, on Feb. 1, will be a daylong film festival focused on socially relevant films made by Bruins.

“Film has been and continues to be a powerful medium in which to tell our own stories,” says David Yoo, ICA’s vice provost. “We are justifiably proud of the many UCLA alumni associated with our centers, whose films are featured in our festival.”

The film festival, which is free and open to the public, will run from 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. at UCLA’s James West Alumni Center. In addition to screenings, the festival will include Q&A sessions with the films’ creators, ethnic food to enjoy and an opportunity to network with filmmakers.

Certain films will be showcased, such as Bless Their Little Hearts, the story of a family in the Watts region of Los Angeles that was directed by Billy Woodberry ’82. Selena, based on the life of Latin singer Selena Quintanilla-Pérez, was directed by Gregory Nava ’71, M.F.A. ’76.

Other films in the program include Cruisin’ J-Town, a documentary about the jazz fusion band Hiroshima that was directed by Duane Kubo ’75; On and Off the Rez With Charlie Hill, a documentary about American Indian comedian Charlie Hill, directed by former UCLA student Sandra Osawa; and Chicana, one of the first feminist Chicana documentaries, which was directed, written and produced by Sylvia Morales ’72, M.F.A. ’79.

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