LET THE CITY SPEAK

THE SONIC JOURNEY OF QUETZAL

Quetzal in 1998. Let the City Speak

ABOUT THE FILM

Let the City Speak is a feature-length documentary that follows QUETZAL, a Chicano rock band that emerged from East LA's vibrant music scene in the 1990’s. Award-winning filmmaker Akira Boch has followed the band for nearly three decades, creating an intimate portrait of leaders Quetzal Flores and Martha Gonzalez.

Rooted in Zapatista philosophy—the indigenous Mayan liberation movement from Chiapas, Mexico — QUETZAL made a radical choice after three albums: they abandoned the music industry for independence, creating art aligned with their activism and challenging conventional notions of success.

Through Boch's intimate lens, the film captures their struggles, small victories, and unexpected GRAMMY win for their album Imaginaries. Let the City Speak weaves together memories, music, and activism, revealing QUETZAL's commitment to community and social justice. The film showcases the enduring power of music as resistance — a testament to how art and activism can intertwine, guided by the Zapatista spirit that continues to inspire their journey.

Let the City Speak. Quetzal documentary. Grito de Alegria. Zapatista movement.

We’re in the final stretch of our GoFundMe campaign — and we’d love to have your support to complete post-production and share this film with the world.

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