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Alturas Films Records

 Collection
Identifier: CSRC-2018-009

Scope and Contents

The collection consists mostly of material on produced films, as well as unrealized projects. Most of the produced films were broadcast on public television. There are grant proposals, scripts, transcripts, budget material, correspondence, research material, and publicity material. Films with significant holdings are Elvia (about Honduran civil rights activist Elvia Alvarado), Jasper Johns: Ideas in Paint, and Low 'n Slow (about Chicano lowrider culture). There is a great deal of material on the films made for the long-running American Encounters exhibit at the Smithsonian. There is also significant material on Nuestros Hijos, a film made for the California Human Development Corporation. In the Unproduced Films files, there is material for a project on Ruben Blades. In the General Files, there are documents related to courses taught at various colleges. There is also a significant amount of material on Channel 35, the television station of San Francisco State University.

Dates

  • Creation: 1958 - 2000

Creator

Language of Materials

Material is in English and Spanish.

Conditions Governing Access

Open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

These materials are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study pursuant to U.S. Copyright Law. The user must assume full responsibility for any use of materials, including but not limited to infringement of copyright and publication rights of reproduced materials. Any materials used for academic research or otherwise should be fully credited with the source. The original authors may retain copyright to the materials.

Biographical / Historical

Alturas Films is a film production company based in Emeryville, Californis. Founded by Rick Tejada-Flores, it specializes in documentaries that focus on overlooked topics in Latino and Latin American culture, many of which were broadcast on public television. Among its films are Low 'n Slow, Rivera in America, and Elvia.

Rick Tejada-Flores was born in Los Angeles around 1945. After graduating from UC Berkeley, he got his first job in the media working for KQED, the public television station in San Francisco. In 1973, he made his first film, fulfilling the roles of co-director, cinematographer, and editor on Si Se Puede!, for the United Farm Workers. Over the years, he has made over a dozen films. During that time, he has worked in various capacities in a number of public televsion stations, and he has taught at several California colleges.

Extent

5.4 Linear Feet (5 record storage cartons; 1 flat box)

Abstract

Alturas Films is a film production company based in Emeryville, CA that was founded by Rick Tejada-Flores. The collection consists of material on produced films as well as unrealized projects. There are also office files, and some material on various college courses.

Arrangement

The collection is arranged in the following series:

  • Series 1. Produced films
  • Series 2. Unrealized films
  • Series 3. General files
  • Physical Location

    COLLECTION STORED OFF-SITE AT SRLF. Advance notice required for access. Contact the UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center Library and Archive for paging information.

    Immediate Source of Acquisition

    Donated by Rick Tejada-Flores, 2015.

    Separated Materials

    Videotapes and film elements for Elvia and Low 'n Slow have been transferred to the UCLA Film and Television Archive.

    Title
    Finding Aid for the Alturas Films Records, 1958-2000
    Author
    Doug Johnson
    Date
    July 2018
    Description rules
    Describing Archives: A Content Standard
    Language of description
    Undetermined
    Script of description
    Code for undetermined script
    Language of description note
    The finding aid is in English.

    Repository Details

    Part of the Chicano Studies Research Center Library Repository

    Contact:
    144 Haines Hall
    Box 951544
    Los Angeles California 90095-1544 United States
    (310) 206-6052
    (310) 206-1784 (Fax)