“An Infantryman from Hero Street”, a new documentary by Emmy Award-winning filmmakers Kelly and Tammy Rundle of Fourth Wall Films, will screen Monday, August 21 at 6:00 p.m. at the Silvis Public Library, 806 1st Ave, Silvis, Illinois. A Q&A with the Rundles will follow the film. Seating is limited. The documentary recently received an Emmy nomination.
“An Infantryman from Hero Street,” the fourth episode in the "Hero Street" documentary series, tells the true story of Pvt. Joseph Sandoval who was born in a boxcar to Mexican immigrants in the Silvis, Illinois rail yard. In 1944 Joe, married with two young sons, was drafted and shipped to Britain with the 41st Armored Infantry Regiment. His unit helped fight the second stage of the Normandy Invasion in France. In April 1945, the Allied forces reached an agreement regarding post-war Germany, and Joe and his fellow soldiers were told the war was essentially over. Joe was killed just days later during a German counter attack near the Elbe River in Schönebeck, Germany. In the two weeks that followed, U.S. and Russian troops shook hands across the Elbe, and Adolph Hitler committed suicide.
The documentary stars Emmanuel Juarez as PFC Joseph Sandoval, Eric Juarez reprising his role as Joe’s brother PFC Frank Sandoval, and actor Matt Walsh as 1st Lt Frank Houcek. The film features commentary by First Army Support Command Historian 1st Lt Kevin Braafladt, Rock Island Arsenal; authors Marc Wilson “Hero Street, USA”, Carlos Harrison "The Ghosts of Hero Street" and John C. McManus “September Hope”; and members of Joe Sandoval’s family, including Tanilo Sandoval, Henry Sandoval, Georgia Herrera and Irene Mawson.
The “Hero Street” film serie’s opening theme was scored by award-winning and Emmy® nominated composer William Campbell of Davenport.
WQPT-PBS provided its broadcast studio for filming portions of the documentary. WQPT’s Lora Adams assisted with production, and Chris Ryder created special visual and sound effects. WQPT-PBS previously partnered with Fourth Wall Films in 2015 to co-produce the Mid-America Emmy nominated "Letters Home to Hero Street” which tells the story of Frank Sandoval who died while serving in Burma, India during WWII.
Only a block and a half long, Second Street in Silvis, Illinois lost six young men in World War II and two in the Korean War, more than any other street in America. Hero Street, as it is now known, has provided over 150 service members since Mexican-American immigrants settled there in 1929.
“Hero Street,” a multi-part documentary series by Fourth Wall Films, explores the compelling true story of eight Mexican-American heroes from Hero Street, USA in Silvis, Illinois: Tony Pompa, Frank Sandoval, William Sandoval, Claro Solis, Peter Masias, Joseph Sandoval, Joseph Gomez and John S. Muños.
Fourth Wall Films is an award-winning and Emmy® winning independent film and video production company formerly located in Los Angeles, and now based in Moline, Illinois. For more information visit HeroStreetMovie.com.
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