The Last Conquistador

NEW DOCS

Sculptor John Houser’s quixotic dream is to fashion the tallest bronze equestrian statue ever created. There’s only one problem. His subject is the Spanish conquistador Juan de Oñate, a man despised by some as a genocidal war criminal while admired by others as an iconic representative of the extraordinary contributions made by Hispanic people to American history.  Directors John Valadez and Cristina Ibarra spent seven years filming this epic battle between competing versions of a history that has been all but forgotten by the general public. Intertwining the personal with the historical, the filmmakers reveal the complex voyage of a sculptor who slowly and painfully begins to realize the unsettled nature of historical “truth.” RD

Directors

John Valadez, Cristina Ibarra

Producers

John Valadez, Cristina Ibarra

Release Year

2007

Festival Year

2008

Country

United States

Run Time

70 minutes

Premiere

World Premiere