"A powerful film."
Award-winning doc on labor, race, and class with civil rights icon, Executive Producer Dolores Huerta.
Backstreet to the American Dream
Survival isn't trendy. It's the only way forward.
An award-winning documentary about race, labor and class in modern-day America, set in Los Angeles
The Story:
A global story of race, labor, class and economic survival, Backstreet to the American Dream plays out on the streets of Los Angeles, where bootstrapped entrepreneurs chase the same dream but on very different terms. Grill ’Em All, a heavy-metal burger truck, rockets from obscurity to Food Network fame and a booming brand. Mexican immigrant Doña Guillermina Villa builds her El Pescadito mariscos business in one South Los Angeles blue-collar neighborhood through decades of family labor and deep community ties.
An award-winning four-minute animated journey from Ancient Mexico to South L.A., narrated in English, Spanish and Náhuatl, places today’s entrepreneurs within a deeper history of food, migration, labor and cultural identity.
Moving between survival and success, visibility and invisibility, and the informal economy and mainstream marketplace, the bilingual, cross-cultural documentary explores how people from opposite worlds define and pursue their own version of the American Dream.
Chef Ryan
Harkins
Luis
Valdez
Bill
Esparza
Chef Roy
Choi
Dolores
Huerta
Doña Guillermina
Villa
“Absolutely masterful!”
-Wyoming International Film Festival
“A rich and vibrant portrait of the lives of everyday Americans.”
-Riverside International Film Festival
“…a deeply involving issue.”
-La Plaza de Cultura y Artes
“Our mission is to share Mexican culture with the world, and this documentary aligns with our core company values.”
-Jarritos
“…one story about chasing the American Dream in modern
Los Angeles…”
-L.A. Daily News
“The documentary paints a beautiful and authentic picture.”
-Newport Beach Independent
“…redefining our idea of the American melting pot.”
– Latina
“Precisamente, la industria alimenticia, la industria que se genera con en gran parte por estos food trucks ha sido que ha permitido avanzar los intereses de nuestras comunidades.”
–México, Consulado General en Los Ángeles
“…the story is about entrepreneurs chasing the American Dream, changing attitudes around cultural differences and social media’s role in this modern-day revolution.”
-Mobile-Cuisine.com
“Backstreet to the American Dream traces the origin of the food truck phenomenon back to the streets of Los Angeles.”
– WPIX 11 New York
“The documentary highlights the role of food trucks from the traditional ‘lonchera’ to the explosion of food trucks as mobile gourmet restaurants.”
–Fox 11 Los Angeles
Backstreet:
NATIONAL EDUCATIONAL DISTRIBUTION
After an award-winning festival run spanning 14 film festivals and earning 18 awards and commendations, Backstreet to the American Dream is entering an exciting new chapter!
Now nationally distributed to educational institutions through New Day Films, the bilingual documentary is reaching classrooms, universities and communities, sparking conversations about immigration, race, labor, class, entrepreneurship and the American Dream.
Our new EDUCATION & RESOURCES page introduces the 54-minute Classroom Cut, four companion modules (9-16 minutes each), a 13-page Study Guide and a structured five-day lesson plan designed to support interdisciplinary and experiential learning.
Bring Backstreet to your campus or community! Explore educational licensing and streaming through New Day Films. For filmmaker discussions, speaking engagements or community screening inquiries, please contact us.
Want to support our continued outreach and community impact? Tax-deductible contributions can be made through our fiscal sponsor, the International Documentary Association (ida).
LIFE Festival L.A.
Casa 0101 – 2102 1st St, Los Angeles, CA 90033
March 8, 2026, 3:30 p.m.
The award-winning documentary Backstreet to the American Dream screened at the Latina Independent Film Extravaganza (LIFE), a festival founded by Real Women Have Curves playwright Josefina López. The event is dedicated to elevating Latina filmmakers and expanding their visibility in the industry.
CINEMA. CULTURA. COMUNIDAD.
Gardena Cinema – 14948 Crenshaw Blvd. Gardena, CA 90249, Sept. 27, 2025 (10am – 8pm)
In response to the attacks on the immigrant community in Los Angeles, this Latina-led event partnered with Gardena Cinema for a daylong celebration: Cinema. Cultura. Comunidad. Three curated blocks of short films by 25 audacious Latina directors, a panel discussion with NASA astronaut José Hernández, whose real-life story inspired A Million Miles Away, and Public Counsel’s Directing Attorney of the Immigrants’ Rights Project, Gina Amato, culminating in a spotlight screening of this award-winning documentary.
The parking lot became an outdoor mercado: live music, lowriders, open mic, artisans, and street food by a USC grad, who’s keeping his parents’ dream alive in the face of ICE raids. Gardena Cinema is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
L.A. County Supervisor Holly Mitchell invested in the project with a grant to expand public access, L.A. City Mayor Karen Bass and U.S. Congresswoman Maxine Waters issued special certificates of recognition, and a portion of all proceeds benefited Public Counsel’s Immigrants’ Rights Project.
Event Flyer | Program & Impact | Press Release | Comunicado de prensa
TAM SUR biennial
Torrance Art Museum – Torrance, California, from Saturday Aug. 23 (6-9pm) to Sept. 27, 2025
Backstreet to the American Dream screened inside TAM’s Dark Room. Free admission.
Founded in 2011, the SUR: biennial is an ongoing exhibition series that highlights the impact of Latin American and Caribbean cultures on contemporary art worldwide. Through independently curated presentations, the SUR: biennial showcases recent and newly commissioned works by both local and international artists who explore themes rooted in the cultural traditions of Mexico, Central and South America, and the Caribbean. More info at TAM’s website.
Educational Screening & Discussion
Chicano Resource Center – East L.A., California, on Aug. 03, 2024 (2 – 4pm)
Backstreet to the American Dream screened at the Chicano Resource Center (CRC) in East Los Angeles. The film played in an intimate space for about 80 people, and the audience engaged filmmaker Patricia Nazario in a lively Q&A afterward.
Recap video is here. Get more info on the CRC website, and download the flyer here.
Educational Screening & Discussion
JANM – Los Angeles, California, on Dec. 08, 2023 (7 – 9pm)
Several museums in L.A. joined the Smithsonian’s program on the complex history and legacy of race and racism in our communities and institutions. As part of the national program, the Japanese American National Museum (JANM), in Downtown L.A., screened the Director’s Cut (100 min.) of Backstreet to the American Dream.
Educational Screening & Discussion
UCLA – Los Angeles, California, on Oct. 10, 2023 (6 – 8pm)
UCLA Alumni and the UCLA Labor Center presented this screening at the James West Alumni Center on campus in celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month. Download the flyer here.
Thanks to our sponsors, Jarritos and Best Food Trucks, El Rey Tortasahogadas served up free tacos and Jarritos before the screening for our guests on Oct. 10, 2023, 6 to 8pm.
Aug. 12, 2023
LOMA Film Festival — Los Angeles, CA
The inaugural festival was free and open to the public! Backstreet to the American Dream’s animation open screened as a stand-alone animated short! LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes presents the LOMA Film Festival. The Latinas & Latinos of Mixed Ancestry (LOMA) Film Festival endeavors to share the stories of people that embody the intersection of Latinos and non-Latinos. Details are on their website. Download the flyer.
May 20-21, 2023
Mexican-American Film & Television Festival
“Changing the narrative, recognizing who we are,” is the rallying cry of the 2nd Annual MACEF Festival at Hollywood’s Harmony Gold Theater. The award-winning feature documentary, Backstreet to the American Dream, carries a similar mandate. It reframes the American narrative about Latino immigrants through contrasting portraits of street-food vendors in Los Angeles. See our IG post here.
April 13, 2023
National Hispanic Cultural Center — Albuquerque, NM
The Film Symposium: The Power of Our Stories brings together three Latinas and celebrates Latinx/Chicanx in the arts. Patricia Nazario presented Backstreet to the American Dream, Iliana Sosa presented her Netflix documentary, What We Leave Behind, and filmmaker Aracely Chapa presented her documentary, Acequias: The Legacy Lives On. Download the flyer.
Dec. 2 - 8, 2022
Culver City Film Festival — Los Angeles, CA
The 5th annual Culver City Film Festival took place at the Promenade at Howard Hughes Center in West Los Angeles, and Patricia Nazario won Best Director of a Documentary Feature. Backstreet screened on Friday, Dec. 2, 2022, at 4:00 pm in Theater 9. This is our final 2022 screening. Here’s the flyer.
Garifuna International Indigenous Film Festival
Electric Lodge Theater — Venice, California
Backstreet won the Intangible Heritage Documentary award at the Garifuna International Film Festival. The event exhibits work from independent storytellers of the African diaspora. The screening was Saturday, Nov. 12, 2022, at the Electric Lodge Theater in Venice. Here’s the flyer.
Educational Screening & Discussion
University of Southern California — Los Angeles, California
Sponsored by the Department of American Studies and Ethnicity (ASE), this free public screening took place Thursday, Nov. 10, 2022, from 5 to 7 pm. Dinner was also served, followed by a live Q&A with Filmmaker Patricia Nazario.
Oct. 21 - 25, 2022
Santa Ana, California
Since 2010, celebrating multicultural background and connecting Orange County with its greater heritage through film is the singular goal of the OC Film Fiesta. Backstreet to the American Dream screened on Saturday, Oct. 22, 2022, 2pm, at 1666 N. Main St. Santa Ana, CA 92701. A live Q&A with Filmmaker Patricia Nazario directly followed. Details here.
Educational Screening & Discussion
San Francisco State University — San Francisco, California
Sponsored by the Latinx Student Center, this screening was free and open to the public. Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2022, at 5:30 pm. Directly afterward, Director/Producer Patricia Nazario joined university professors for a live panel discussion.
More info is here on their website.
Oct. 7 - 8, 2022
Highland Park Independent Film Festival (HPIFF) — Highland Park, California
Backstreet to the American Dream won Best Documentary at HPIFF! Making the screening even more special was the glass-blown Humanitarian Award art piece presented to Executive Producer Dolores Huerta. The doc screened on Saturday, Oct. 8, 2022, and was the festival’s closing presentation. The event was live on KNBC 4.
Educational Screening & Discussion
Cal Poly Pomona — Pomona, California
The University Library hosted this free campus-wide screening on Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2022, at 4:00 pm with an in-person Q&A. It was set at the Grand Reading Room inside the University Library! Here’s the flyer.
Educational Screening & Discussion
San Jose Community College — San Jose, California
Dean of Academic Success and Student Equity René Alvarez, Ph.D. brought this screening to the Student Center at San Jose Community College on Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2022, at 1:00 pm.
Educational Screening & Discussion
Texas A&M University — San Antonio, Texas
The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) hosted this free campus-wide screening on Saturday, Sept. 24, 2022, at 6:00 pm with an in-person Q&A at the A&M SA Auditorium! Here’s the flyer.
Educational Screening & Discussion
Trinity University — San Antonio, Texas
As part of Trinity’s Celebration of Latinx Heritage Month, Trinity Entrepreneurship sponsored this campus-wide screening. Following the film, Director/Producer Patricia Nazario took part in a live Q&A at the Fiesta Room of the Coates University Center. Light refreshments were included. Here are the flyers: Backstreet event and Latinx Heritage Month.
Educational Screening & Discussion
Trinity University — San Antonio, Texas
Dr. Luis Martinez screened the film for his Arts Entrepreneurship Mindset class at the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship with a dedicated Q&A on Wednesday, Sept. 21, 2022, at 2:30 pm.
Educational Screening & Discussion
University of the Incarnate Word — San Antonio, Texas
In recognition of Hispanic Heritage Month, the University of the Incarnate Word (UIW) screened Backstreet to the American Dream followed by a Q&A with award-winning journalist, producer, and director Patricia Nazario.
Hosted by Dr. Teresa Harrison, Co-Director of the UIW Beckendorf Family Center for Innovation and Global Entrepreneurship, Dr. Sandy Guzman-Foster, Director of the UIW Center for Teaching and Learning, and Dr. Trey Guinn, Communication Arts Director and the San Antonio Chapter of the Fulbright Association. Download the flyer here, and more info is on the UIW website.
Educational Screening & Discussion
Brick at Blue Star — San Antonio, Texas
The non-profit organization, CUBE PROJECTS, hosted this in-person screening at the cinema space, Brick at Blue Star, on Sept. 19, 2022. Tickets at the door had the suggested price of $10 each. Click for more about Brick at Blue Star, and event info is at Eventbrite.
Aug. 2 - 7, 2022
San Antonio Film Festival — San Antonio, TX
The film’s South Central U.S. premiere was at the 28th Annual San Antonio Film Festival, and Backstreet won two awards: the Audience Award for Best Documentary Feature & the Best Food Film Award. For more info, check out SAFILM.
April 19 - 23, 2022
Ethnography Film Festival — Paris, France
The film’s European premiere was at the iconic Théâtre Lepic. This epic festival is exclusive to directors of non-fiction films. More info at ETHNOGRAFILM PARIS.
March 23 - 27, 2022
Sonoma International Film Festival — Sonoma, CA
Backstreet’s Northern California premiere was at the 25th Annual Sonoma International Film Festival. It screened twice: Thursday, March 24, 2022, at 9:00 am and Saturday, March 26, 2022, at 9:30 am. USA Today named the Sonoma International Film Festival one of America’s Top Ten Destination Film Festivals. For more info and tickets, go to SIFF.
Nov. 4 - 6, 2021
GuadaLAjara Film Festival — Los Angeles, CA
This festival celebrates Latin cinema and the creators of it. Backstreet to the American Dream screened at the Secret Movie Club on Saturday, Nov. 6, 2021, @4 pm with an in-person Q&A, and virtually until Nov. 13th! More info at GLAFF.
Oct. 21 - 28, 2021
Newport Beach Film Festival — Newport Beach, CA
The Orange County premiere of Backstreet to the American Dream was at the Starlight Triangle Cinemas -Theater #4- on Saturday, Oct. 23, 2021, @7:30 pm with an in-person Q&A. More info at NBFF.
Educational Screening
NuyorRican Poet’s Cafe — NYC (LES), New York, NY
This iconic cultural center for groundbreaking works by Puerto Rican and Latino artists on the Lower East Side screened Backstreet on Wednesday, Oct. 13, 2021, @7:00 pm with an in-person Q&A. More info at BackstreetFilm.
Educational Screening & Discussion
“The Bronx: Immigration Race and Culture,” at Fordham University — Bronx, NY
The film’s first educational screening in the Bronx was in Dr. Mark Naison’s African-American Studies class on Tuesday, Oct. 12, 2021, @1:00 pm. More info on IG at BackstreetFilm.
Educational Screening & Discussion
“Reporting: Deadline Drill,” at Columbia Graduate School of Journalism — New York, NY
Backstreet’s first NYC educational screening was with Professor Sam Freedman’s reporting class on Tuesday, Oct. 12, 2021, at 9 am. More info on IG at BackstreetFilm.
Oct. 8 - 17, 2021
Workers Unite Film Festival — New York, NY
Oct. 1 - 17, 2021
San Francisco Latino Film Festival — San Francisco, CA
Our pan-Latino premiere was at the film festival that bridges communities and celebrates Latino arts through film. Backstreet to the American Dream screened virtually from Oct. 1 – 17, 2021. More info at CINEMASSF.
August 26 - Sept. 5, 2021
Dances With Films Festival — Los Angeles, CA
Backstreet’s world premiere was at the Chinese Theatres in Hollywood as part of the DWF Festival. This was the festival’s 24th year, and its post-Covid theme was Let’s Get Physical! Backstreet to the American Dream sold out! It screened on Sunday, Aug. 29, 2021, at 5:00 pm. Get more details here.
Educational Screening & Discussion
“Latinx and News Media in the U.S.,” at the University of Arizona — Tucson, AZ
Our first educational screening was via Zoom with the bilingual M.A. graduate program at the University of Arizona’s Center for Border & Global Journalism on Thursday, Sept. 16, 2021, at 10:30 am. More info at
UA J-School.
April 27 - May 1, 2021
Riverside International Film Festival — Riverside, CA
The two-dimensional, four-minute animation, which traces street food from L.A. to Ancient Mexico, won Best Animated Short as a stand-alone animated short film. More info at RIFF.
May 1, 2021
European Short Film Festival — Berlin, Germany
The two-dimensional, four-minute animation, which traces street food from L.A. to Ancient Mexico, screened as a stand-alone animated short film. More info at ESFF.
Backstreet to the American Dream is the result of extraordinary collaboration and teamwork among the entrepreneurs featured in the film, our talented creative crew, festival sponsor Jarritos and Executive Producer Dolores Huerta.
Go behind the scenes and discover how this incredible story came together!
Q&A: Latina Magazine
The food truck revolution, which started as a grassroots movement for struggling chefs and working-class families, is now a billion-dollar industry. Parades of trucks offering endless...
Read More
Newport Beach Independent
Food trucks have become a fixture of the culinary arts. Many people walk just steps outside their office building to find their lunch at one of...
Read More
Fox 11: In-Depth with Hal Eisner
The documentary highlights the role of food trucks from the traditional “lonchera” to the explosion of food trucks as mobile gourmet restaurants. Nazario says that the social...
Read More
WPIX 11 Morning News
WPIX 11 News is celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month by highlighting the work of a Latina film director who is sinking her teeth into the food truck...
Read More
Mexican Consulate en Los Ángeles
Snack & Chat con la directora y periodista Patricia Nazario y presentación del documental, Backstreet to the American Dream. Read more >
Read More
LA Daily News
In 2010, Patricia Nazario was a journalist at KPCC radio when she was sent out on a news story that would change the direction of her...
Read More
“Backstreet to the American Dream depicts the quintessence of ‘loncheras’ and the place they deserve in the billion-dollar food truck industry. The documentary highlights social injustice and inequalities that exist in the U.S. and gives us the tools to understand how immigrant food truck owners have the legitimate right to participate in the American Dream. Powerful and insightful!”
-Franck Lemperle, Feature Films Programmer • Newport Beach Film Festival