Roadside Attractions has released the first trailer from the upcoming documentary Rita Moreno: Just a Girl Who Decided to Go for It, directed by Mariem Pérez Riera. The film profiles Moreno’s journey from childhood poverty through the highs and lows of her seven-decade career. The 90-minute feature had its world premiere Jan. 29, 2021, at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival and will be released nationwide on June 18. The PBS American Masters series will present the U.S. broadcast premiere later this year.
The critical consensus on Rotten Tomatoes is that the film is “a sharp critique of the industry’s crushing inequities and a beautiful homage to an artist who never backed down despite the odds.” Moreno’s honors include two Emmys, a Grammy, an Oscar and a Tony, as well as the Kennedy Center Honors, Presidential Medal of Freedom, and National Medal of Arts. She returns to the screen later this year in the new film adaptation of West Side Story as Valentina, a new take on the original character of Doc.