Filmmakers

Jorge Prelorán (1933-2009) was a prominent filmmaker, born with dual Argentine and American citizenship, who made significant contributions to documentary cinema.  He initially studied architecture before pursuing filmmaking, earning a Bachelor of Arts in Motion Pictures from UCLA in 1960. His professional career began in 1962 with a commission to film Argentine gauchos, and he later produced a series of short films on Argentine folklife.
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Prelorán became deeply involved with UCLA's Ethnographic Film Program and was a fellow at Harvard's Film Study Center. He was the recipient of two Guggenheim Fellowships (1971, 1975) and twice a Fulbright Scholar (1987, 1994)
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He is best known for his intimate approach to ethnographic film, a style he termed "ethnobiography". In his ethnobiographical films, such as Hermogenes Cayo (1970), Cochengo Miranda (1974), and Zerda’s Children (1978), his subjects tell their personal stories in their own words, thereby revealing insights into their communities and cultures. His creative work also extended to experimental and fiction films, including My Aunt Nora (1982).
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The film "Luther Metke at 94" (1980) is an Academy Award-nominated documentary short directed by Jorge Prelorán and Steve Raymen. This film is explicitly mentioned as one of his works produced after he permanently moved to the United States in 1976 and accepted a position as an associate professor at UCLA. After retiring in 1994, Prelorán continued to mentor students and began working on a series of books titled Sages Amongst Us (unpublished), featuring friends and colleagues. This suggests a continued interest in personal narratives and the wisdom of individuals, a theme potentially reflected in "Luther Metke at 94."
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Documentary Educational Resources (DER) is actively involved in restoring and preserving Prelorán's films, such as Valle Fértil (1972), highlighting the importance of his cinematic legacy.