Movies That Matter Latino is a quarterly film series that celebrates the diversity that exists within the Latino culture. Each event features a film screening, followed by a moderated discussion with local subject matter experts.

Screenings will be held on the first Sundays at 4 p.m. in March, June, September and December at the Rose Marine Theater, 1440 North Main St., home of Artes de la Rosa. MTMLatino is a made possible through a collaboration between the Fort Worth Human Relations Commission and Artes de la Rosa Fort Worth Cultural Center for the Arts and with support from the Fort Worth Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and the Hispanic Women’s Network of Fort Worth. Admission is free. Each event begins with a reception with refreshments provided by Taco Diner
 

East of Salinas begins with 3rd grader José telling us what he wants to be when he grows up. His parents work from sun up to sun down in the heart of California”s “Steinbeck Country,“ the Salinas Valley. With little support available at home, José often turns to his teacher, Oscar Ramos, once a migrant farm kid himself. In fourth grade his teacher told him if he worked hard he could have a different life. Oscar won a scholarship to the University of California, Berkeley. The day he earned his degree, he bought a car and drove home to the fields. He's been teaching ever since. José is Oscar's most gifted student. But how do you teach students like José who have no place to do their homework? How do you teach a kid who moves every few months? This is what Oscar is up against every day. Oscar not only teaches his students reading, math and science, he gives them access to a world beyond their reach.

But José was born in Mexico — and he's on the cusp of understanding the implications of that. As we watch this play out over three years, we begin to understand the cruelty of circumstance — for José and the many millions of undocumented kids like him.

Rating: Not Rated

Released: 2016

Run Time: 53 minutes