Courtesy: CineFestival
SAN ANTONIO, TX — Suzette Quintanilla shared heartfelt thoughts on the long-awaited Selena y Los Dinos documentary during its premiere at the 46th annual CineFestival in San Antonio on July 12. The deeply personal film, directed by Isabel Castro, chronicles the legendary rise of Selena Quintanilla-Pérez and her iconic family band, offering an intimate look at the late Tejano superstar like never before.
The premiere was attended by original band members including Suzette Quintanilla, Chris Pérez, Pete Astudillo, and Ricky Vela, who each revealed films that had inspired their artistry before the screening with Cinema Soundoff. But it was Suzette’s conversation that underscored the emotional weight of the documentary.
“I hope that they walk away from this documentary inspired,” Suzette said. “I think it showcases a lot of growth that we did within the band—creating songs, hearing from Chris, from my parents, and the whole journey. It’s just a different viewpoint from us personally. Not like the movie or the Netflix series—this is more one-on-one.”
Unlike the 1997 biopic Selena or the Netflix series, this new documentary draws from never-before-seen archival footage from the Quintanilla family and features candid interviews with the people who knew Selena best. Suzette emphasized the importance of sharing this new perspective: “We’re already two generations in since Selena’s been gone. We want to leave something behind that inspires our youth—not just musically, but as Latinos, to be proud of who we are. We are definitely Americans, but we are also Raza, from Mexico.”
Selena y Los Dinos premiered to critical acclaim earlier this year at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival, where it earned the U.S. Documentary Special Jury Award for Archival Storytelling. The film continued to make waves at SXSW and the Miami Film Festival, taking home multiple Audience Awards. Netflix recently acquired the documentary in a landmark deal reportedly worth between $6 million and $7 million—one of the largest ever for a documentary film—further reflecting Selena’s enduring cultural influence.
With its winter debut on Netflix, Selena y Los Dinos is set to introduce the beloved artist to a new generation while deepening the connection with longtime fans who continue to celebrate her music, her spirit, and her legacy.
Selena was tragically murdered in 1995 at just 23 years old, but her light has never dimmed. This documentary not only honors her life and legacy, but also the resilience, unity, and heart of the family band that helped shape the Queen of Tejano into a global icon.
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