Latinos Of Montclair Will Host NJ Premiere Of ‘Mataron A Pedro’

MONTCLAIR, NJ — The following news release comes courtesy of Latinos of Montclair. Find out how to post announcements or events to your local Patch site.

Latinos of Montclair, in partnership with the Mataron a Pedro film team, will host the New Jersey premiere of “Mataron a Pedro” on Thursday, Nov. 12 at 7 p.m. at Lackawanna Station in Montclair. The evening will bring the community together for the film, a live Bomba performance by Latinos of Montclair's youth dance program, Ritmo Jardín, under the artistic direction of Milteri Tucker Concepcion, founder of Bombazo Dance Co., and a talkback with members of the film's creative team.

Set in 1930s Puerto Rico, Mataron a Pedro tells the untold story of Pedro Albizu Campos, the first Afro Puerto Rican to graduate from Harvard, who returned to the island and stood with striking farmers against a political machine in Washington determined to silence them. Told through his relationship with his wife, Laura Meneses, the first Latina to attend Radcliffe College, the film captures one of the most turbulent eras in Puerto Rican history. Written and directed by Kristian Mercado and starring Ismael Cruz Córdova, the film has screened to audiences in Chicago, Washington, D.C., and San Juan, where screenings sold out.

The Montclair premiere will welcome members of the film's creative team, including director Kristian Mercado, producer Debbie Perez, and executive producer Ivelyse Andino, who will join the audience for a talkback following the screening.

“Bringing Mataron a Pedro to New Jersey for the first time means so much to us,” said Debbie Perez, the film’s producer. “This film has always been about more than a screening—it’s about reclaiming our history, bringing our communities together, and creating space for conversations that don’t happen often enough. We’re excited to share this story with the Puerto Rican community and our allies in New Jersey and make this premiere a true celebration.”

“This film tells a story that too many of us never learned in school, and it is told by Latino artists who care deeply about getting it right,” said Natalia Espejo, President of Latinos of Montclair. “Bringing Mataron a Pedro to Montclair gives our community a place to gather, learn our history, and celebrate the talent telling it.”

VIP ticket holders will begin the evening at 5:00 PM with a dinner at Libélula featuring a curated three-course Puerto Rican menu by Chef Brian Martinez and a meet-and-greet with the filmmakers. After the talkback, guests can continue the night at Latinos of Montclair's Bodega Nights after-party at The Splendid Rooftop at the MC Hotel. Screening ticket holders will receive a promo code by email for a $5 cover, and after-party-only tickets are $20.

The screening is the latest in CINE, Latinos of Montclair's ongoing series bringing Latino cinema to New Jersey. CINE spotlights films made by Latino filmmakers, starring Latino actors, and telling stories of the Latino experience. Previous CINE screenings include La Grande, presented in both Montclair and New Brunswick, The Long Shot, and Radical. The series aims to raise awareness, build community support, and bring Latino talent to the forefront in New Jersey.

“New Jersey is emerging as a major hub for film production, and the talent to power it is already here,” added Espejo. “More than one in five New Jerseyans is Latino, and that community is ready to do more than watch its stories unfold on screen. It wants to help create them and to help build the state’s film industry from the ground up.”

EVENT DETAILS

• What: Mataron a Pedro New Jersey Screening
• When: Thursday, November 12, 2026, 7:00 PM
• Where: Lackawanna Station, 1 Lackawanna Plaza, Montclair, NJ
• Program: Opening remarks, Bomba performance, screening, talkback with the filmmakers
• Tickets LINK
• VIP dinner: 5:00 PM at Libélula. A curated three-course Puerto Rican menu by Chef Brian Martinez, a meet-and-greet with the filmmakers, reserved front-row seating, and an official film poster. $100, limited to 40 seats.
• After-party: Bodega Nights at The Splendid Rooftop, MC Hotel, 690 Bloomfield Avenue, Montclair, NJ, following the screening. $5 cover for screening ticket holders (promo code sent by email), $20 for the after-party only. Ages 21+.
  Ticket LINK

The event is presented by Latinos of Montclair in partnership with the Mataron a Pedro film team, with LatinoCircuit TV as strategic media partner.

ABOUT LATINOS OF MONTCLAIR
Latinos of Montclair is a registered New Jersey nonprofit serving more than 10,000 Latinos across North Jersey. Through cultural events, youth programs such as Ritmo Jardín and Futuro Scholars, and community partnerships, the organization creates spaces for Latino families to connect, celebrate their heritage, and build community.

ABOUT MATARON A PEDRO
Mataron a Pedro is an independent short film written and directed by Kristian Mercado, produced by Debbie Perez, with Ivelyse Andino as executive producer, and starring Ismael Cruz Córdova. The film is currently on a community screening tour ahead of its online premiere. Follow the film on Instagram at @albizufilm.

ABOUT LATINOCIRCUIT TV
LatinoCircuit TV is a bilingual streaming platform and media company amplifying independent Latino creators through curated in-person screenings and distribution on its own FAST channel, as well as select partnerships with high-reach platforms. Based in New Jersey, the company champions emerging voices by organizing community-driven indie film events and expanding access to bilingual storytelling. “We are excited to collaborate once again with Latinos of Montclair and support Mataron a Pedro, a film that embodies the powerful, truth-driven storytelling our community yearns to see, hear, and learn from,” said Founder-CEO Doris Martinez.

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