Disney world premiere hits home for local family

Members of the KMC were invited to view the world premiere and free screening of the new Disney movie, “McFarland, USA,” Feb. 7 at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center’s Heaton Hall Auditorium. About 30 people viewed the film.

Jim Caldwell, senior vice president of Walt Disney Communications, hand-carried the movie to LRMC and introduced it, saying it was an honor to premiere it to the overseas military community.

“Releasing this film almost two weeks prior to the official release date in the United States is a way to say ‘thank you’ face-to-face to the Soldiers and service men and women serving here,” he said. “It is a way for Disney to show its appreciation, and it is the least we can do.”

The event took place because of a joint agreement between the Army and Air Force Exchange Service and Disney. It is the third time a movie has premiered for service members prior to being released in the U.S. “McFarland, USA” was shown a second time at the Kaiserslautern Military Community Center Gateway Cineplex on Ramstein later that day.

The movie hit home for one movie viewer, Lyessa Mejia.

“I’m from Delano, just one exit up from McFarland, California. We were definitely the bigger town compared to McFarland,” she said. “McFarland didn’t even have a K-Mart, so everyone had to come to Delano.”

Delano is located seven miles north of McFarland and is known for being the birth place of Cesar Chavez, the famous migrant worker who fought for migrants’ rights. Lyessa’s husband, Augustin Mejia, a Soldier stationed at Rhine Ordnance Barracks in Kaiserslautern who is originally from Bakersfield, California, saw the trailer for the movie while he was redeploying from Turkey.

“I had friends who were grape pickers,” he said.

“McFarland, USA” is a movie about second chances. The movie, based on real events that occurred in Delano, California, in 1987, takes the viewer on a journey into the world of migrant workers, mainly vegetable pickers, who rise up early every day to work in the fields. The film centers on a group of young men who have found cross-country running as a way to ultimately change their lives. JimWhite, portrayed by actor Kevin Costner, is the cross-country coach who believes in these young men, and the results are amazing.

“Disney has a complete section devoted to smaller, inspirational sports films with a lot of heart,” Caldwell said. “They may not be big blockbusters, but they are very important stories to be told.”

Watching the movie brought up many emotions for both of the Mejias.

“The movie was good. I recognized a lot of the area, even though I’ve been gone since 2006,” Lyessa said. “What I didn’t realize was how poor we were growing up.”

Lyessa visits her father, who still lives in Delano, and said she will tell her high school friends to see the movie.

The movie premieres in the U.S. today.