The Event: To honor New Mexico’s centuries old acequia tradition, the Penasco community will host
multiple free screenings of a new documentary, “Acequias: The Legacy Lives On”, from the University of
New Mexico’s Center for Regional Studies on May 11-13. This stunningly beautiful homage to acequias,
much of it filmed in our area, has been released to sold out showings in New Mexico’s major cities. This
is the first time it will be shown for several nights in an area that is rich in acequia culture. We invite all
the parcientes and other neighbors from Placita to Embudo to Ojo Sarco to join us for these showings.
The Film: Arcely (Arcie) Chapa, the award-winning film director of “Acequias: The Legacy Lives On” has
said: “The story of New Mexico acequias has been a film I’ve wanted to produce since moving to New
Mexico in 1998. No other state has what we have. In an arid state where every drop of water is precious,
acequias recharge our groundwater systems while they water our crops. They have done so for over 400
years, and I have been really blessed to help tell their story, as seen through the eyes of farmers,
advocates, scholars, practitioners and members of acequia communities.”
This hour long documentary combines a dense and detailed history of acequias and their past and
present challenges with lush and cinematic footage that captivates and captures the eye. We are
thankful to be able to bring it to the Penasco area for these free showings on May 11-13.
The Schedule: On Thursday, May 11, the documentary will be shown to Penasco Middle School and
High School students at 1:00 pm. That evening, there will be two “by invitation” showings at the
Penasco Theater at 6:00 pm and 8:00 pm. These showings will be reserved for our area’s current acequia
commissioners and mayordomos and their guests with acequias from Placita to Embudo to Ojo Sarco
and all the rivers and ditches in between. Because the Penasco Theater holds only 95 seats, we’re asking
the leaders of acequias whose names begin with A-L (example: Acequia Llano de la Llegua) to come to
the 6:00 pm show and those whose acequia names begin with M-Z to come to the 8:00 pm show. Both
showings will be followed by short panels and we welcome the press to interview our guests.
On Friday and Saturday, the showings will move to the Penasco Community Center. These showings are
free and open to the public. With 300 seats, we should be able to accommodate everyone who wants to
see the film. The Friday showing is at 5:30 pm and the Saturday showings are at 3:30 pm and 5:00 pm.
We would be happy to accommodate the press if you wish to attend and/or film any of the above. We
anticipate that we will have acequia leaders and parciantes from 25-30 acequias at these screenings.
For more information about the documentary, “Acequias: The Legacy Lives On”,
contact Arcely Chapa at 505/328-4442, achapa@unm.edu
For more information about the Penasco film screenings,
contact Bernie Ellis at 575/587-5816, tracevu@gmail.com.
