On October 15, 2026, Severo Pérez joins legendary playwright-director Luis Valdez for an evening of conversation on Chicano storytelling and cinema at the University of California, Irvine.
The event features a screening of Severo’s landmark film …and the earth did not swallow him that is based on Tomás Rivera’s seminal novel, followed by a conversation. Valdez’s work (Zoot Suit and La Bamba) has been central to Chicano theater and film for decades.
Award-winning filmmaker, playwright, and writer, Severo Perez grew up in Westside San Antonio and graduated from the University of Texas, Austin. For over forty years, he produced films for PBS, network and cable television, corporate sponsors, and the educational market. His feature film adaptation of the novel …and the earth did not swallow him (1994) by Tomas Rivera won eleven international awards, including one for Best Director and five for Best Picture. His first novel, Willa Brown & the Challengers, is historical fiction based on the real-life African American aviation pioneer, Willa Beatrice Brown. Odd Birds is his second novel. His third book, Filmmaker's Journey, was published in 2024.