
By Katie Small
For better or worse, boxing is a sport that has never shied away from using race as a tool to create spectacle. In La Guerra Civil, engaging interviews and detailed archival footage reveal how an epic 1996 rivalry between a Mexican icon and his Mexican American challenger launched a cultural battle, illuminating the dual identity that Latinos in the United States must contend with to this day.
Eva Longoria Bast n is no stranger to the Sundance Film Festival, having starred in 2020's Sylvie's Love and appearing in 2021's Rita Moreno: Just a Girl Who Decided to Go For It. This year she returns as director with her energetic feature-length documentary debut, which takes an in-depth look at the legendary boxing match between seasoned Mexican champion Julio C sar Ch vez and the younger Mexican American Oscar De La Hoya. The famous fight pitted Mexicans against one another, as fans from both sides of the border had to choose a champion that most resonated with them.
In a pre-recorded introduction to the film, Longoria Bast n reflects, This battle between two legends was about more than boxing - it really takes us into a fascinating slice of the Latino experience.
The two fighters had very different introductions to the sport, and as a result their personal histories carried contrasting cultural significance. Hailing from Culiac n, Sinaloa, Julio C sar Ch vez was one of 11 children. He began working from a young age, climbing out of poverty after he made a name for himself in the boxing rings of Tijuana. His rags to riches story embodied Mexican ideals of grit and perseverance and inspired national pride throughout his iconic career.
Eva Longoria Bast n and Julio C sar Ch vez appear in La Guerra Civil by Eva Longoria Bast n, an official selection of the Premieres section at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival. Courtesy of Sundance Institute | photo by Ilse Fernandez. All photos are copyrighted and may be used by press only for the purpose of news or editorial coverage of Sundance Institute programs. Photos must be accompanied by a credit to the photographer and/or Courtesy of Sundance Institute.' Unauthorized use, alteration, reproduction or sale of logos and/or photos is strictly prohibited. Meanwhile, Oscar De La Hoya was groomed to be a fighter; in the documentary, the son of immigrants recalls how he was forced into boxing. He was trained from age five and scouted at 11, before winning a gold medal for the U.S. in the 1992 Olympics. Although he was raised in a Spanish-speaking Mexican household, the golden boy from East LA struggled to gain acceptance from fans - he was regarded as not Mexican enough for his father's generation, not American enough for his own.
Eva Longoria Bast n and Oscar De La Hoya appear in La Guerra Civil by Eva Longoria Bast n, an official selection of the Premieres section at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival. Courtesy of Sundance Institute | photo by Ilse Fernandez. All photos are copyrighted and may be used by press only for the purpose of news or editorial coverage of Sundance Institute programs. Photos must be accompanied by a credit to the photographer and/or Courtesy of Sundance Institute.' Unauthorized use, alteration, reproduction or sale of logos and/or photos is strictly prohibited. Interviews with both Ch vez and De La Hoya provide insight into their personal experiences, while commentary from sports scholars, boxing commentators, and notable Mexican American figures - such as actor Mario Lopez, journalist Claudia Trejos, and comedian George Lopez - ground the moment in historical and cultural significance.
After the premiere, the director joined Sundance Institute programmer Dilcia Berrera, Oscar de La Hoya, and producer Grant Best in a live Q&A session. She reflected on her own memories of the 25-year-old fight, how it divided her household at the time, and how Mexican Americans continue to juggle dual - and dueling - cultural identities. What surprises me is how little has changed, Longoria Bast n notes.
For me, when people say, Oh you're half-Mexican, half-American' I go, No - I'm 100% Mexican, 100% American, at the same time. Own that, she says. Longoria Bast n reflected on how her own generation was discouraged from speaking Spanish, but says she is excited to see younger generations of Latinos embrace their diverse identities and celebrate their cultural legacies. You don't have to choose, and you don't have to assimilate [ ] Today's generation is turning the tide.
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
04/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
04/07/2026
April 7 2026, 19:00 (PDT) Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in...
01/06/2026
January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026
Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...
28/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
28/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
28/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
28/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
28/05/2026
Green Hippo, an ACT Entertainment brand, will pull back the curtain on the Estuary Series, a next-generation media control platform engineered for the scale, sp...
28/05/2026
First Hands-On Opportunity at Universal Studios Lot, June 5-6
Oberkochen, Germany, May 27, 2026 ZEISS is launching their new Panoptes 65 primes at Cine Gear ...
28/05/2026
Irvine, CA May 20, 2026 Wooden Camera today announced the release of new accessories for the Blackmagic URSA Cine Immersive. The new lineup includes a redes...
28/05/2026
Six films, one unmissable collection. First Facts documentaries debut on 10 Stre...
28/05/2026
Emma Watkins brings all-new Emma's Dance Club to ABC Kids 28 May 2026
Emmas Dance Club. Image credit: Sarah Wilson.
The ABC, Screen Australia and Screen N...
28/05/2026
Cool Concentric Text for Cavalry
Simon Ubsdell May 27, 2026
0 Comments
In this tutorial I'll show you how to make this popular text effect that is...
28/05/2026
Scripps Research's Skaggs Graduate School awards doctoral degrees to 34th graduating class
May 21, 2026
Scripps Research's Skaggs Graduate School of ...
28/05/2026
Scripps Research chemist Jin-Quan Yu is named a Fellow of the Royal Society Yu is honored by the U.K.'s national academy of sciences for his work in synthet...
27/05/2026
Telestream has announced that its Board of Directors has appointed Benjamin Desbois as Chief Executive Officer, effective July 1, 2026. Desbois, currently Teles...
27/05/2026
ESPN garnered 10 awards; NBC's Sunday Night Football received the Outstandin...
27/05/2026
Matrox Video is celebrating its 50th anniversary, marking five decades of operations from its headquarters in Montreal, Canada. Founded in 1976, the company has...
27/05/2026
Major League Baseball has announced a series of initiatives tied to America's Semiquincentennial, including a national marketing campaign, Fourth of July br...
27/05/2026
Advanced Systems Group (ASG) has announced that Brian Gross has joined the company as an Account Manager on its Audio team, based in the Burbank office. He will...
27/05/2026
Nielsen has released new research on soccer fandom ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2...
27/05/2026
ESL FACEIT Group (EFG) has unveiled a new partnership with TikTok to bring broad...
27/05/2026
FIFA's Oscar Sanchez gives a deeper look to how this tournament will be cove...
27/05/2026
The soon-to-be senior from Charlottesville is building her skills in replay, TD, and even creative content for HokieVision and its ACC Network productions
In t...
27/05/2026
FOX Sports' Mike Davies breaks down the vision for this summer's showcas...
27/05/2026
HBS's Paul King, FIFA's Oscar Sanchez preview how the masses at home wil...
27/05/2026
FOX's MLB coverage dominated the night at the 47th Annual Sports Emmy Awards...
27/05/2026
One of the most memorable Postseasons in baseball history would have had no memo...
27/05/2026
NBC's Sunday Night Football is among the most decorated and most watched programs in the history of television. It added to its jam-packed trophy case on Tu...
27/05/2026
The 2026 Sports Emmys marked a watershed moment for Prime Video Sports. After bu...
27/05/2026
With the Opening Match just over two weeks away, the entire sports-production-te...
27/05/2026
Spotify already brings together listeners' favorite music, podcasts, and audiobooks in one place. Now, we're trialing a new format that expands the cont...
27/05/2026
The best podcast moments deserve more than just a mental note. That's why today, we're making those moments easier to save and share with clips.
Whethe...
27/05/2026
On Purpose is one of the most popular podcasts in the world, known for conversat...
27/05/2026
On May 8, 1,500 of Olivia Rodrigo's top fans gathered in Barcelona's Tea...
27/05/2026
Hybrid design combines large-diaphragm capsule & ribbon
JZ Microphones have teamed up with Grammy-winning producer and engineer Marc Urselli to develop a ne...
27/05/2026
Three new plug-ins inspired by classic tape effects
AIR Music Tech's latest release delivers a set of plug-ins that aim to capture the character, moveme...
27/05/2026
Piano played on the edge of silence
The Crow Hill Company's Vaults collection offers a continual rotation of instruments that are given away for free fo...
27/05/2026
Recreates Moog's iconic Memorymoog polysynth
Arturia's vast software instrument range offers a combination of new and old, with innovative modern so...
27/05/2026
Offers loudness levelling for speech and dialogue
Accentize have built up a solid reputation with their audio-restoration tools, and their latest plug-in is...
27/05/2026
10,000 units strong - The Rohde & Schwarz R&S M3SR Radio 4400 Rohde & Schwarz celebrates a major manufacturing milestone, producing its 10,000th R&S M3SR Radi...
27/05/2026
The XL Converge 300P radio system emerges with a groundbreaking feature set enhancing the mission-critical communications of public safety, federal and critica...
27/05/2026
Pairing Two47 MCX software with existing LTE networks means tailored system upgrades that can save time, money and lives....
27/05/2026
PAC-3 MSE offers improved range, speed, and maneuverability, making it an effect...
27/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
27/05/2026
Star Trek VFX: Recreating John Knoll's Iconic Warp Stars without a Slitscan ...
27/05/2026
Adventure World Uses Blackmagic Replay for Marine Live
Brie Clayton May 27, 2026
0 Comments
Large screen displays and slow motion replays dynamically ...
27/05/2026
Berklee Alumna and Assistant Professor Olivia P rez-Collellmir to Premiere Origi...