Monday night, Dolores Huerta’s immensely underrated story was finally brought to light.
“Dolores” premiered at the Metrograph in Chinatown, New York City. From Director Peter Bratt and Executive Producer Carlos Santana, the documentary focuses on Huerta’s struggles, accomplishments, activism and absence from our history books.
The film perfectly rests on the border of personal life and public affairs. The emotional interviews from her kids and close acquaintances is balanced out by the monologues of praise from past partners and admirers.
The most prominent fact that this film proves about Dolores is the innocence in her persistence. As the film demonstrates, Huerta’s pursuits of justice left scars on her home life. Often leaving her children and family behind to continue her fight for others, she selflessly sacrificed everything. The mother of 11 willingly lived the same life of the people she was fighting for, one of poverty and destitution.
Huerta was not simply fighting for others, she was empowering them. She uplifted others, especially women to stand alongside her to fight for others. She was not just simply bettering the lives of others, she was bringing hope to them.
The overlying truth of this film is simple: women are often forgotten in history, regardless of the changes they create. The necessity of this movie is undeniable. Huerta’s story needed to be told, her face needed to be stamped on her accomplishments. Her story is not solely of activism, but of inspiration.
“Dolores” hits theaters September 1st.