A 2012 documentary about Archbishop Óscar Romero, the brave soul who dared to defend the disenfranchised people of El Salvador in the late 1970s, and paid the ultimate price for standing up to a repressive government.

Monday, December 3, 2012
7:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Melnitz 1409
James Bridges Theater
UCLA
Los Angeles, CA 90095-1310

In El Salvador in the late Seventies, one man was the voice of the campesinos, the poor, the disenfranchised, and the Disappeared – all struggling under the corrupt Salvadoran government. Appointed Archbishop in early 1977, Monseñor Óscar Romero worked tirelessly and in constant personal peril until the day he was assassinated in March 1980.

Inspired by his friend Monseñor Rutilio Grande, himself murdered for speaking out against the social injustice around him, Romero broke off ties with the military and aligned himself with the poor, delivering messages of hope in weekly sermons which became national events.  Encouraging direct action against oppression from his unique position in the Catholic Church, Romero preached a gospel of Heaven on Earth and a powerful version of Liberation Theology that directly impacted political events in El Salvador that still have meaning to this day.

With rare recordings and film footage from Romero’s own collection and a wide range of interviews from those whose lives were changed by Archbishop Romero, including church activists, human rights lawyers, former guerrilla fighters and politicians, Monseñor: The Last Journey of Óscar Romero is a timely portrait of one individual’s quest to speak truth to the rich and powerful forces which dominated his government. 

98 minutes | In Spanish with English Subtitles

Q&A following the film with:
Hector Perla, Assistant Professor of Latin American & Latino Studies at UC Santa Cruz
Ana Grande, niece of slain priest Father Rutilio Grande 

*Part of the UCLA International Human Rights Film Series

Watch an excerpt:

Parking Information: The closest parking lot is Structure #3. Visitors may purchase daily parking permits (Currently $11) by stopping at the Information & Parking booths or by using a "Pay by Space" pay station. The closest information booth to Structure #3 is located on Hilgard and Westholme Ave. To use a Parking Pay Station: Simply drive to a self-service Pay Station location (there is one located in Structure #3). Please read the posted signs and screen prompts for Pay by Space. Pay Stations allow you to select the time you need to spend on campus and pay accordingly (all-day passes can also be purchased).

Cost : Free and open to the public

Download file: 12-3-12-Monsenor-uy-h5b.pdf

Sponsor(s): Latin American Institute, UCLA International Institute, Salvadoran American National Association (SANA), Salvadoran Foundation for The Arts (SFA)