SAVE THE DATE
November 9, 2025 – American Sons Hometown Premiere in San Antonio
AMERICAN SONS
A powerful Documentary Exploring the Enduring Impact of War on U.S. Veterans and their Families.
San Antonio, TX – November 9, 2025 – We are thrilled to announce that American Sons, a powerful documentary from Producer Laura Varela and Producer / Director Andrew James Gonzales, will return home for a special San Antonio “Hometown” Premiere on Sunday, November 9th, 2025 at the historic Carver Community Cultural Center. The evening will feature a red carpet celebration, followed by a screening and Q&A with the filmmakers and participants.
This premiere is meaningful, as San Antonio is where Corporal JV Villarreal started this story and where his legacy continues to live on through family, friends, and the local community.
The event is supported by Bexar County and City of San Antonio Department of Arts and Culture.
SCREENING DETAILS
Dates: Sunday, November 9, 2025
Venue: Carver Community Cultural Center, 226 N Hackberry St, San Antonio, TX 78202
THE SCHEDULE AND A LIMITED AMOUNT OF TICKETS WILL BE RELEASED IN SEPTEMBER.
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A Special Opportunity: The 72-Minute Director’s Cut
San Antonio audiences will have a rare chance to experience the extended 72-minute Director’s Cut of American Sons, exclusively only in theaters. This edition offers a deeper, more intimate, and gripping exploration of the challenges U.S. veterans face as they navigate life after combat. It also provides a closer look at JV’s enduring legacy, the resilience of his brothers-in-arms, and the urgent national conversation around veteran mental health.
Presented ahead of the 56-minute broadcast release on PBS on January 12th 2026 as part of the VOCES Series, this hometown screening invites audiences to witness the story where it all began—at home.
Cpl. JV Villarreal “Chillin” while on foot patrol in Kajaki, Afghanistan
SSgt. Andrew St. Cyy and Cpl. ty Klinman embrace 10 years after combat
Above: American Sons Screening Venue Carver Community Cultural Center
AMERICAN SONS
A brotherhood forged in war. The journey to heal together.American Sons, Produced by Laura Varela, Produced and Directed by Andrew James Gonzales, follows a group of Marines a decade after their deployment to Afghanistan as they navigate the lingering trauma of war and the devastating loss of their comrade, Corporal JV Villarreal. Through Villarreal’s haunting first-person video diary, audiences gain an intimate view of life on the front lines and the unbreakable bonds formed through sacrifice. The film serves as a poignant exploration of resilience, grief, and the urgent need for mental health support among veterans.
“This project is our commitment to breaking the stigma of mental health and fostering healing through community support for Veterans. Through this story we mean to inspire meaningful conversations and amplify the voices of veterans being left behind.” Andrew Gonzales, Producer/Director
“We are deeply honored that Cpl JV Villarreal’s family and his fellow Marines have placed their trust in us to share their story. It is both a privilege and a significant responsibility.” Laura Varela, Producer
Above: Producer Laura Varela and Producer / Director Andrew James Gonzales
Award-winning Producer Laura Varela is an known for her commitment to narratives of social justice and Award-winning Producer / Director Andrew James Gonzales, an emerging talent in documentary filmmaking that brings a fresh and deep perspective to the film. Together, their work has pushed the boundaries of documentary storytelling, making American Sons a must-watch at this year’s festival.
Additional credits include Producer Elizabeth Avellan from Troublemaker Studios, Producer/Production Supervisor Fernando S. Cano II, Executive Producers Sandie Viquez Pedlow (Latino Public Broadcasting) and Leslie Fields-Cruz (Black Public Media). Award-winning UK composers Stew Jackson & Dan Brown provide the original soundtrack for this documentary.
Their work has been funded by the Jacquie Jones Memorial Award from Black Public Media and Latino Public Broadcasting highlighting stories of underrepresented communities. As reported by Deadline, this support underscores the increasing demand for diverse storytelling in the film industry.
Additional funding is provided by California Humanities, Bexar County, and the City of San Antonio Arts and Culture.
American Sons is funded by Latino Public Broadcasting, Black Public Media via the Jacquie Jones Memorial Award, Bexar County, and the City of San Antonio Department of Arts and Culture.
Note to Editors: For all Billings, publicity and print purposes, please refer to the film as:
American Sons Produced by Laura Varela, Produced and Directed by Andrew James Gonzales
For a press kit and more info please contact us here.
Watch The Trailer
Above: American Sons Team: Associate Producer Oliver Garnier, Social Media Producer Andrea Porras, April Villarreal Rodriguez,
Producer / Director Andrew James Gonzales, Producer Laura Varela, Billy Branch, Producer Elizabeth Avellán, Producer Fernando S. Cano II.
This program is a Co-Production of Infinite Warrior, Latino Public Broadcasting and Black Public Media with major funding provided by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. This project was also made possible with support from California Humanities, a non-profit partner of the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Join our Mission
at one of our in-person events as well as details about our 2026 PBS Broadcast.
Thank you!