Piñero, directed by Leon Ichaso, stars Benjamin Bratt as the title character, and follows his life in the Lower East Side of Manhattan in the late 1960s and early 1970s. The film explores Piñero's relationships with other Latino artists, performers, and criminals, as well as his struggle with addiction and his conflicted sexuality.
The film also depicts Piñero's time in prison and how it shaped his artistic vision, how he navigated the predominantly white mainstream theater world, and his eventual descent into drug addiction and self-destruction.
The film features interviews with friends, family members, and colleagues of Piñero as well as performances of his poetry and theater work. It has been praised for its raw and gritty portrayal of Piñero's life, as well as its honest depiction of the struggles faced by Latino artists in America.
Piñero was released in 2001 and received positive reviews, with Bratt earning critical acclaim for his performance as the troubled poet. It was also screened at the Sundance Film Festival and received several nominations and awards, including the Grand Jury Prize at the Deauville American Film Festival.