“The Last to Fall from Hero Street" at the Bettendorf Public Library -- May 21.
Thursday, May 21, 1:30 p.m.
Bettendorf Public Library, 2950 Learning Campus Drive, Bettendorf IA
Presented as part of the library's long-running Community Connections series, a May 21 screening of The Last to Fall from Hero Street will find local Emmy Award-winning filmmakers Kelly and Tammy Rundle of Fourth Wall Films sharing their moving documentary at the Bettendorf Public Library, this fifth work in the Rundles' acclaimed Hero Street series followed by a question-and-answer session with the area talents.
The fifth documentary in its series, The Last to Fall from Hero Street tells the story of Mexican-American John Muños from Silvis, and his Korean War military service. The film profiles his family’s journey from Mexico as they fled the Revolution. John’s father, Isabel, worked in the rail yards in Silvis, and his mother, Victoria, made their home in a boxcar provided by the railroad. The families of the boxcar village experienced both acceptance and discrimination in their new community. Around the time of the Great Depression, the families living in the railroad village were moved to 2nd Street in Silvis, a former dumpsite. The Muños family was one of several families that moved their boxcar to 2nd Street and built a home around it – the home is still standing.
After high school, John was working on the International Harvester combine assembly line in East Moline, when his draft notice from the U.S. Army arrived Sept. 15, 1950. He quickly married his sweetheart, Mary Louise Bessera, before he was sent to Korea with Company F of the 38th Regimental Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division. Sometimes called “the Forgotten War,” the film shows how John’s wartime experiences fit into the overall Korean War story. On August 27, 1951, John was among 740 Americans killed in the Battle of Bloody Ridge, at age 23. His body was never recovered. In The Last to Fall from Hero Street, Interviews with family members, friends, veterans, community leaders and historians are combined with vintage photos, film, and archival materials to tell an unforgettable story of American courage, character and perseverance.
Moviemakers Kelly and Tammy Rundle have been producing, writing, directing, and editing documentaries and other media projects for more than 25 years, and are the recipients of numerous Mid-America Emmy nominations, wins, and film-festival awards. Their 2017 film The Barn Raisers was an official selection at Southern California's Newport Beach Film Festival, and the duo's additional credits include River to River: Iowa's Forgotten Highway 6, Country School: One Room – One Nation, Movie Star: The Secret Lives of Jean Seberg, Lost Nation: The Ioway, Villisca: Living with a Mystery, and the award-winning docudrama Sons & Daughters of Thunder.
An Infantryman from Hero Street will be shown as part of the library's Community Connections series on May 21, participation in the 1:30 p.m. screening is free, and more information on the afternoon event is available by calling (563)344-4175 and visiting BettendorfLibrary.com. For more on the film and its series, visit HeroStreetMovie.com.
