AUSTIN, Texas — Selena Quintanilla. Whether you’re from Texas or just loved her music, it’s a name that conjures up so much emotion that it could make a room full of people weep. That’s the effect a new documentary about the iconic singer had on audiences at the South by Southwest screening of “Selena Y Los Dinos” at the Paramount Theatre on Wednesday.

What You Need To Know

  • "Selena Y Los Dinos" premiered at South by Southwest on March 12

  • The new documentary directed by Isabel Castro relies on archival home video and interviews with family members and bandmates to tell Selena's story "in her own words"

  • A packed Paramount Theatre audience laughed, cried and gave a standing ovation for the film

  • The film’s Texas premiere falls just short of the 30-year mark since Selena’s death

Directed by award-winning filmmaker Isabel Castro, the film offers a glimpse into the Selena that few got to see. The one that spent her off time makeup-free in a cozy sweatshirt, drawing up fashion designs and constantly cracking jokes with her family.

While the Grammy award-winning artist’s life story has been depicted in film and television before, “Selena Y Los Dinos” relies heavily on archival footage shot by her sister Suzette throughout the years that shows the family band in its earliest forms — from performing at small family gatherings as kids to the iconic Astrodome concert that shattered attendance records in 1995.

In attendance at the premiere were Selena’s parents, Abraham and Marcella, her sister Suzette, husband Chris Pérez and bandmates Ricky Vela and Pete Astudillo. They arrived to take pictures in front of the marquee outside the venue as hundreds of fans waited in line to get inside before the film.

Interviews with those who were in Selena’s close circle weaved with the archival footage offered a touching retelling of her life story. It’s something Pérez says makes the film special.

“I think the whole point is to see how great of a person, you know, Selena was; what she stood for, what she represented. I think that's what comes across in this, because this is her in her own words,” Pérez said.

The film’s Texas premiere falls just short of the 30-year mark since Selena’s death. The anniversary was especially felt when the film’s direction shifted and a police dispatch call played, reporting that Selena had been shot.

A hush fell over the packed Paramount Theatre on Congress Avenue, as if people were holding their breath, still deeply affected by the devastating news even after all these years. The silence turned to weeping as the entire room mourned the beloved singer all over again.

While there were moments of both laughter and sadness throughout the film, at the end, it was met with applause and a standing ovation.

Quintanilla will always be known for her powerhouse voice, infectious laugh, vibrant stage presence and dazzling outfits to match. The true queen of Tejano music. But the film shows that perhaps the biggest impact the Texas-born singer had was representing an often underrepresented community.

Various archival news clips and interviews showed Selena’s impact on young Mexican American girls who looked up to the rising star. A montage played later in the film, featuring young girls paying tribute to her by wearing Selena-inspired outfits, dancing and singing in their own home video footage to her iconic songs. Castro herself said seeing Selena was the first time she saw herself represented in media. Today, the Selena Museum in the singer's hometown of Corpus Christi, Texas, honors her many achievements and accolades.

Though Selena only lived to age 23, the film shows how her impact on the music industry and the Latino community has exploded and will continue to for years to come.