FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact americansons@gmail.com
WASHINGTON, D.C. — October 20, 2026 — AMERICAN SONS, the award-winning PBS documentary produced by Laura Varela and directed and produced by Andrew James Gonzales, will be presented in two special screenings of the film’s theatrical cut at distinguished national institutions this November: the Smithsonian National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C., and the National Museum of the Marine Corps in Quantico, Virginia.
Both events are free and open to the public. They will include post-screening discussions that extend the film experience into conversations about military service, loss, remembrance, and the experiences of veterans and their families.
The screenings offer audiences an opportunity to experience a deeply personal story of military service, sacrifice, family, and the enduring impact of war. Told through the video diary of Marine Corporal JV Villarreal who was killed in Afghanistan in 2010. AMERICAN SONS explores the experiences of a young Marine and the lasting effects of his loss on his family, fellow service members, and community.
Through intimate archival footage and the perspectives of those who knew and loved JV, the film invites audiences to reflect on the complex realities of military service, the cost of war, and the challenges veterans and military families face long after the battlefield. Post-screening discussions will give audiences opportunities to engage with the film’s themes and consider the experiences of veterans, Gold Star families, and military communities.
The screenings are part of the film’s ongoing public engagement and impact campaign, which uses documentary storytelling to foster dialogue, strengthen connections between veterans and civilians, and create meaningful opportunities for engagement and support for veterans and their families.
Screening Information:
Washington, D.C. — Smithsonian National Museum of American History
The museum’s History Film Forum presents the screening with a Q&A with the filmmakers Laura Varela and Andrew Gonzales, Gold Star Sister April Villarreal Rodriguez, and Marine Brother Cpl. Billy Branch.
Date: Thursday, November 5, 2026
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Venue: Warner Bros. Theater
Admission: Free
Event information: https://americanhistory.si.edu/events/calendar/history-film-forum-presents-american-sons
Click here for tickets.
Quantico, VA — National Museum of the Marine Corps
Post-screening discussion will include Gold Star Sister April Villarreal Rodriguez, Marine brothers Cpl. William Branch, Capt. James Ferguson and Jennifer Brock, LPC, CCTP, Wounded Warrior Regiment, USMC.
Date: Saturday, November 7, 2026
Time: 2:00 p.m.
Venue: Medal of Honor Theater
Admission: Free
Click here for tickets.
Veterans, active-duty service members, military families, educators, and community members are encouraged to attend and share the event information with their networks.
About AMERICAN SONS:
AMERICAN SONS is a feature documentary that tells the story of Marine Corporal JV Villarreal through his personal video diary and the voices of those whose lives were changed by his service and death. JV was killed in action in Afghanistan in 2010. His recordings offer an intimate window into the life of a young Marine, while the film examines the broader experiences of military families, the burden of loss, and the enduring bonds formed through service.
Produced by Laura Varela and produced and directed by Andrew James Gonzales, the film is a collaboration between Infinite Warrior LLC, Latino Public Broadcasting, and Black Public Media. Following its world premiere at SXSW in 2025, American Sons reached national public television audiences through PBS’s VOCES series in January 2026. The 60-minute PBS version of the film is currently streaming on PBS.org and most PBS apps.
Additional credits include Producer Elizabeth Avellan from Troublemaker Studios, Producer/Production Supervisor Fernando S. Cano II, and Executive Producers Sandie Viquez Pedlow (Latino Public Broadcasting) and Leslie Fields-Cruz (Black Public Media). Award-winning UK composers Stew Jackson and Dan Brown provided the documentary’s original soundtrack.
The Jacquie Jones Memorial Award from Black Public Media and Latino Public Broadcasting funded their work, with major funding from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, highlighting stories of underrepresented communities. As Deadline reported, this support underscores the growing demand for diverse storytelling in the film industry.
This project was made possible with support from California Humanities, a non-profit partner of the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Bexar County, the City of San Antonio Arts and Culture, and the Airpower Foundation also provided additional funding.
The film’s Veteran Reconnection impact campaign extends its reach beyond the screen through community screenings, facilitated discussions, and veteran reconnection workshops designed to encourage dialogue, strengthen community connections, and support veterans and their families.
Media Contact:
Americansonsfilm.com
