Made in the 956: Weslaco native tells story of the Valley through documentary
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From Roma to South Padre Island, the Rio Grande Valley is rich in history.
Now, one Weslaco native filmmaker is looking to tell the story of the Valley through a documentary. It's a project that's been more than five years in the making.
"It just became a thing I started and I knew I needed to finish it," Gene De La Garza said.
De La Garza has created content about the Valley for years, but this time he wanted to dig deeper.
"This story is one of those stories, that you don't really hear about, you really have to go out there and research it on your own," De La Garza said.
So he created the documentary "The King and His Magic Valley."
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"I start off the movie by saying, have you ever heard the nickname, 'The Magic Valley?' Or why the Rio Grande Valley is called The Magic Valley?" De La Garza said. "It's actually a nickname created by all of these developers, like John Shary, that came from the Midwestern states."
Those developers saw the fertile land in the Valley and an opportunity. But with that opportunity came hardships for many who already lived here.
"At the same time, land theft was involved, economic colonization was involved and you had the exploitation of the land and of course the Mexican Americans, Mexicans, and the Tejanos that were being exploited," De La Garza said.
For De La Garza, it's important people hear the full story of how the Rio Grande Valley came to be.
The 35-minute documentary takes a look at how the region developed, the rise of the citrus industry, the lives of farm workers, the oppression many faced and the Chicano movement.
"I want people to go out and do their research, that's the most important. This project wasn't about me, it wasn't about status, it was about sharing the story and getting it out to the people," De La Garza said.
The documentary also highlights the importance of the Hidalgo Pump House in the Valley's history.
"The King and His Magic Valley" is available on YouTube for free.
As a filmmaker, De La Garza has traveled the world documenting his travels, but the Valley is his home.
"Words don't do it justice. Yes, I have been able and blessed to travel, I have experienced different cultures, from Japan to Egypt to Greece, but here in the Valley we have a unique culture and I just love it so much. Again, words can't describe the feeling and the love I have for the Valley," De La Garza said.
He hopes the film will inspire people to learn more about the place they call home.
Gene De La Garza and his documentary, "The King and His Magic Valley," are made in the 956.
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