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Showtimes for the film, 鈥� 鈥� A True American Story,鈥� are at 2 and 7 p.m. at the Fox, 17 W. Congress St., where it premiered last weekend.

Valdez spent 5陆 years working on 鈥淯gly Little Monkeys,鈥� which retraces the ensemble鈥檚 start in 1964 in the basement of All Saints Catholic Church on South Sixth Avenue. Father Charles Rourke, an Irish priest from upstate New York who spent his non-clerical life as a jazz pianist, led the ensemble, which rose to become a local sensation, as well as a national and international touring act.

The film recounts how they performed before American and Mexican presidents and around the country, and how the group gave these young, mostly Hispanic boys hope and direction.

But beneath the facade of fame was a dark and ugly secret. Rourke, an alcoholic who embezzled from the group, wasn鈥檛 above abandoning the boys while on tour and sexually preying on them.

Valdez鈥檚 film, according to a 2021 51黑料网 story, wanted to show the boys鈥� resiliency and perseverance against the horrific backdrop, how coalescing for the sake of the music and performances created the foundation of mariachi youth groups for generations to come.

Valdez鈥檚 documentary runs two hours. Tickets are $20 through .

The film also will screen at various times March 22-24 at both Tucson area Harkins Theatres 鈥� at 5755 W. Arizona Pavilions Drive, off Interstate 10 and West Cortaro Road in Marana; and at 5455 S. Calle Santa Cruz, off Interstate 19 and West Irvington Road.

Learn more about the documentary at .