26 minute read
NARRATIVE FILMS SYNOPSES
El Visitante
Dir. Martín Boulocq
(Bolivia / Uruguay, 86 min., 2022, Spanish w/ English subtitles, Drama)
3/12 • 9:15 • S2
3/18 • 7:30 • DGC
A man recently released from prison tries to reconnect with his daughter. What transpires is a meditation on class, family relationships, and the increasing power of Evangelism in Latin America. Spotlight Films Showcase.
Y Tu Mam Tambi N
Dir. Alfonso Cuarón
(Mexico, 106 min., 2001, Spanish w/ English subtitles, Road Film / Comedy)
3/15 • 9:30 • S10
Alfonso Cuarón’s iconic road film follows the unforgettable adventures of two best friends on a trip with a mysterious older woman. As they make their way towards a secluded beach, emotions and confessions that can’t be taken back begin to reveal themselves. Starring Gael García Bernal, Diego Luna, and Maribel Verdú. Content Advisory: Graphic sexuality. Legacy Showcase.
Ajenos A La Paz
Dir. Laura Ángel, Noah DeBonis
(Colombia, 88 min., 2022, Spanish w/ English subtitles, Reintegration)
3/16 • 4:00 • S2
3/17 • 9:45 • S11
Three former child soldiers face retribution, anxiety, and danger as they attempt to rebuild their lives after leaving the FARC guerrilla army and the bloody Colombian conflict. ¡Docu-mania! Showcase.
Albertina Y Los Muertos
Dir. Cesar Borie (Chile, 81 min., 2022, Spanish w/ English subtitles, Traditions)
3/10 • 5:00 • S10
3/13 • 5:00 • S11
Albertina sells flowers at the cemetery in San Miguel de Azapa, Chile, a town built over Indigenous tombs. For half of a century, she has led traditions that seek prosperity for the living while keeping their relationship with the dead on good terms. This balance must continue, even after Albertina is gone. Historias Originarias Films Showcase
Barajas
Dir. Javier Izquierdo (Ecuador, 62 min., 2021, Spanish w/ English subtitles, Politics / Literature)
3/16 • 4:30 • S11
3/18 • 1:30 • S10
Barajas explores the deaths of four Latin American writers during a plane crash near a Madrid airport in 1983. Through archival footage dir. Javier Izquierdo evokes the continent’s visual memory during an era full of struggles, dictatorships, and exiles that influenced a whole generation. ¡Docu-mania! Showcase.
Children Of Las Brisas
Dir. Marianela Maldonado
(Venezuela / USA / France / UK, 84 min., 2022, Spanish w/ English subtitles, Music / Resilience)
3/19 • 11:15AM • S2
Children of Las Brisas is a story of resistance, resilience and perseverance that explores the power of discipline and classical music as tools for survival. The documentary follows three Venezuelan children from the impoverished Las Brisas neighborhood, in their quest to become professional musicians within the ranks of “El Sistema” music program. Ritmo Latino Showcase.
Chuch Y El General
Dir. Joaquin Horna Dolande
(Panama, 102 min., 2022, Spanish w/ English subtitles, Documentary)
3/16 • 4:15 • S10
3/19 • 2:50 • S2
It’s 1974 and Panamanian university professor Chuchú Martinez decides to join the National Guard and is appointed to be the personal escort of General Omar Torrijos. Driven by their shared goal to help reduce poverty and fight against Central American dictatorships, this is the story of their lifelong friendship. VOSes Showcase.
Cross Dreamers
Dir. Soledad Velasco
(Argentina, 78 min., 2022, Spanish w/ English Subtitles, Gender Expression)
3/13 • 4:45 • S10
3/19 • 12:00 • DGC
Cross Dreamers is the story of 4 men who once felt they needed to repress their desire to express their feminine identity, but now, as 50-somethings, are empowered to explore their true selves. ¡Somos! Cine LGBTQ+ Showcase.
Donde Los Vientos Se Cruzan
Dir. Ana Andrade, Jesús Guerra (Mexico, 77 min., 2022, Spanish w/ English subtitles, Documentary)
3/18 • 5:00 • S10
3/19 • 11:30AM • S10
On the riverbed of Tijuana, along the US / Mexico border, lives a community of outlaws and addicts. An alcoholic Mayan deportee who finds beauty in delicate flora and fauna, a female photographer who documents the harassment endured by this community, and an elderly couple who are experiencing loneliness, find friendship and hope in this place of limbo. Frontera Filmmakers Showcase.
EL EQUIPO
Dir. Bernardo Ruiz (Argentina / USA / Mexico, 80 min., 2022, Spanish w/ English subtitles, English, History / Forensic Anthropology)
3/14 • 5:00 • S11
3/17 • 7:40 • DGC
In 1984, an unlikely meeting between Dr. Clyde Snow, a legendary American forensic scientist, and a group of Argentine students, changes the course of forensic science and human rights forever. ¡Docu-mania! Showcase.
Hermanas
Dir. Paola Ochoa
(Colombia / United States, 77 min., 2022, Spanish w/ English subtitles, Solidarity)
3/18 • 4:10 • S2
Every summer my aunts and mother, four middle class women in their 60’s, spend vacations at our family home. With no men around, our heartfelt and hilarious discussions about life and love reveal an intimate portrait of womanhood in Colombia. ¡Viva Mujeres! Showcase.
Home Is Somewhere Else
Dirs. Carlos Hagerman, Jorge Villalobos
(Mexico, 88 min., 2022, Spanish w/ English subtitles; English, Immigration/Animation)
3/15 • 7:15 • S11
3/17 • 8:15 • S2
Combining the power of poetry, animation and real conversations, HOME IS SOMEWHERE ELSE, provides a window into the hearts and minds of immigrant youth and their undocumented families. Frontera Filmmakers Showcase; Spotlight Films Showcase.
Inocente
Dirs. Sean Fine, Andrea Nix Fine (USA, 40 min., 2012, Spanish w/ English subtitles, English, Art / Immigration)
3/12 • 1:35 • S11
The Academy Award®winning INOCENTE is an inspiring coming-of-age story of a 15-year old girl in California. Though homeless and undocumented, she refuses to give up on her dream of being an artist, proving that the hand she has been dealt does not define her – her dreams do. 10th anniversary screening. Special Presentations.
IT’S NOT THE FIRST TIME WE FIGHT FOR OUR LOVE
Dir. Luis Carlos de Alencar
(Brazil / USA, 104 min., 2022, Portuguese, Spanish w/ English subtitles, English, Activism / History)
3/09 • 4:30 • S2
3/12 • 2:30 • DGC
A galvanizing portrait of Brazil’s LGBTQ+ community that came together after the coup of 1964 and continues to fight for liberation. ¡Somos! Cine LGBTQ+ Showcase.
LA LUCHA: GETTING SCHOOLED IN AMERICA
Dir. Rand Courtney (USA, 84 min., 2023, Spanish w/ English subtitles, English; Education)
3/10 • 5:30 • S11
3/11 • 11:45 AM • S2
3/14 • 9:45 • S11
When one of their friends is killed, a group of friends facing the same societal dangers as their murdered classmate unite in an effort to graduate high school and find a way out. Special Presentations.
Lejos De Casa
Dir. Carlos Hernández Vázquez
(Mexico, 81 min., 2022, Spanish w/ English subtitles, Immigration)
3/12 • 4:30 • S10
3/15 • 5:30 • DGC
In Tijuana a group of children and adolescents from Mexico and Latin America wait in shelters for a resolution to their asylum request to enter the US. This is the story of their long and uncertain wait. Frontera Filmmakers Showcase.
Lo Que Se Hereda
Dir. Victoria Linares
(Dominican Republic, 84 min., Spanish w/ English subtitles, Family Tribute)
3/19 • 2:00 • S11
A revelation about Oscar Torres, her unknown and once world-famous queer filmmaker cousin, sends Victoria down a path of self-discovery through reconstructions of his intimate memories living in the 1950’s authoritarian Caribbean, as Victoria leads re-enactments of his unproduced screenplays with the family who erased him. ¡Somos! Cine LGBTQ+ Showcase.
ME
Mataron 3 Veces
Dir. Rodrigo Occelli
(Mexico, 99 min., 2023, Spanish w/ English subtitles, Femicide / Women’s Rights)
3/11 • 2:10 • S10
3/13 • 9:30 • S10
After their mother’s femicide, three siblings were separated from each other and forced to live in different places. Many years later they reunite to share their story. ¡Docu-mania! Showcase.
MUKÍ SOPALÍRILI ALIGUÉ GAWICHÍ NIRÚGAME (THE WOMAN OF STARS AND MOUNTAINS)
Dir. Santiago Esteinou (Mexico, 101 min., 2023, Tarahumara, Spanish w/ English subtitles; English, Documentary)
3/17 • 4:10 • S10
3/18 • 12:00 • DGC
This documentary tells the story of Rita, a Tarahumara indigenous woman who left her community in the Mountains and went on a journey to Kansas where she was wrongfully detained and placed in a psychiatric hospital for 12 years. Historias Originarias Showcase.
MY DACA LIFE
Dir. Fanny Grande (USA, 70 min., 2022, Spanish w/ English subtitles; English, Immigration)
3/16 • 6:10 • S2
3/19 • 1:10 • S2
Maribel, a DACA recipient, receives Advance Parole and is able to travel to Mexico for the first time in 25 years. This documentary follows her on this emotional journey, and brings insight into the plight of so many undocumented individuals. ¡Docu-mania! Showcase.
El Ojo De Agua De Los G Lvez
Dirs. José Luis Figueroa, Ana Paola Rodríguez (México, 90 min. 2022, Spanish w/ English subtitles, Documentary)
3/11 • 12:15 • S11
3/13 • 9:45 • S11
Despite living in Los Angeles, California, José Gálvez has decided not to give up his almost uninhabited ranch in Mexico: El Ojo de Agua. There lies the history of his ancestors, his most beloved memories and most intense experiences. Such is his determination that he has motivated others to follow in his footsteps. Frontera Filmmakers Showcase.
Omara
Dir. Hugo Perez (Cuba / USA, 76 min., 2021, Spanish w/ English subtitles; English, Music)
3/12 • 11:45AM • S11
3/16 • 7:00 • S10
If you’ve listened to the Buena Vista Social Club, then you’ve heard the unforgettable voice of Omara Portuondo. In this first-of-its-kind look at the life of one of the nation’s biggest stars, director Hugo Perez brings audiences along on an intimate journey into the heart of Cuba’s “Bride of Feeling”. Ritmo Latino Showcase.
La Rebeli N De Las Flores
Dir. María Laura Vásquez
(Argentina, 81 min., 2022, Spanish w/ English subtitles, Revolution)
3/09 • 5:00 • S11
3/11 • 4:30 • DGC
In 2019, a group of women from different native nations located in what is now called Argentina peacefully occupied the Ministry of the Interior demanding an end to death in their territories. Historias Originarias Showcase. Co-presented by Casa Familiar
Sans N Y Yo
Dir. Rodrigo Reyes
(Mexico / United States, 85 min., 2022, Spanish w/ English subtitles, Immigration / Criminal Justice)
3/09 • 7:20 • DGC
3/12 • 7:30 • S11
During his day job as a Spanish criminal interpreter in a small town in California, filmmaker Rodrigo Reyes (499) met a young man named Sansón, an undocumented Mexican immigrant who was sentenced to life in prison without parole. With no permission to interview him, Sansón and Reyes worked together over a decade, using hundreds of letters as inspiration for recreations of Sansón’s childhood—featuring members of Sansón's own family. The result is a vibrant portrait of a friendship navigating immigration and the depths of the criminal justice system and pushing the boundaries of cinematic imagination to rescue a young migrant's story from oblivion. ¡Docu-mania! Showcase.
SANTOS - SKIN TO SKIN
Dir. Kathryn Golden (USA / U.S. Caribbean Islands Territory, 75 min., 2022, English, Spanish w/ English subtitles, Music/Activism)
3/15 • 5:00 • S11
3/19 • 2:15 • DGC
SANTOS–Skin to Skin is a portrait of community activist and seven-time Grammy nominee John Santos, a “keeper of the Afro-Caribbean flame.” In this documentary, Santos links the rhythms of his ancestors to contemporary struggles against urban gentrification, social inequality, and racial injustice. Ritmo Latino Showcase.
SILENT BEAUTY
Dir. Jasmín Mara López (USA / Mexico / Malta, 88 min., 2022, Spanish w/ English subtitles; English, Documentary)
3/12 • 5:10 • S11
3/17 • 4:00 • S2
A lyrical and sensitive autobiographical exploration of the filmmaker’s family history with child sexual abuse and a culture of silence. ¡Viva Mujeres! Showcase. (Content Advisory: Discussions of sexual abuse)
Soy Ni O
Dir. Lorena Zilleruelo (Chile / France, 62 min., 2022, Spanish w/ English subtitles, Gender Identity)
3/11 • 2:00 • S2
Bastian, a young trans boy, has to face a very difficult time in life: adolescence.
From age 12 - 18, he is filmed by his cousin Lorena who documents difficult and intimate aspects of Bastian’s life. Bastian’s journey introduces us to a more open-minded Chile, thanks to the country’s new generation. ¡Somos! Cine LGBTQ+ Showcase. Co-presented by CRainbow Spaces
SPLIT AT THE ROOT
Dir. Linda Goldstein Knowlton (USA, 96 min., 2022, English, Spanish w/ English subtitles, Immigration)
3/18 • 9:45 • S10
3/19 • 11:45AM • S11
Executive produced by award winning actress and humanitarian Rosario Dawson and directed by Emmy nominated director Linda Goldstein Knowlton, SPLIT AT THE ROOT follows the emotional journey of mothers separated from their children at the U.S. border and the grassroots initiative that, against all odds, reunites those families. Spotlight Films Showcase.
SWING AND SWAY
Dirs. Chica Barbosa, Fernanda
Pessoa
(Brazil, 82 min., Portuguese, Spanish, w/ English subtitles; English, Immigration / Experimental / Resistance)
3/11 • 6:45 • S2
3/15 • 9:45 • S2
As a counterpoint to a virtual and (dis)connected world, two girlfriends engage in a filmic provocation under their own rules. A swing and sway that in ominous times becomes a dance of resistance. ¡Viva Mujeres! Showcase.
ULTIMATE SACRIFICES CPT. JENNIFER MORENO
Dir. Daniel Bernardi (USA, 60 min., 2022, English, Military)
3/18 • 11:30AM • S10
This film tells the story of Jennifer Moreno a Chicana who exceeded all expectations of people from her San Diego neighborhood, lived life with a purpose, and died a hero in Afghanistan serving with the Ranger Battalion. Special Presentations.
The Wind Blows The Border
Dirs. Laura Faerman, Marina Weis (Brazil, 77 min., 2022, Portuguese, Guarani w/ English subtitles, Land Activism)
3/13 • 7:30 • DGC
3/10 • 4:30 • S2
Along the BrazilianParaguayan border (the heart of Brazilian agribusiness), an indigenous teacher fighting for land rights stands in direct opposition to a lawyer with strong relations to the Bolsonarist federal power. ¡Docu-mania! Showcase; Historias Originarias Showcase.
SOLO UNO MÁS…
3/09 • 6:45PM • S2
The boom in serial storytelling has completely changed the way we experience television. Find your next binge obsession in this collection of pilots.
¡YO SOY SALLY, LA LOCA!
Dir. David Aguilar Rodríguez (USA,18min., 2020 English, Spanish, Episodic, Comedy)
Based on a true story, this breakup comedy explores what limits one woman will go through in a desperate attempt to win her long term boyfriend back. This outrageous comedy is inspired equally by Pedro Almodovar, Desperate Housewives, and 1950s Douglas Sirk technicolor melodramas.
LA LOCURA: THE MADNESS PILOT
Dir. Sam Cadman (USA, 28 min., 2022, English . Episodic, Comedy)
Trapped by his parents in Palm Beach Florida, This Brooklyn hipster is trying to find love and happiness amidst a family dealing with Alzheimer's.
PLANT MOMS
Dir. Amy DePaola (USA, 13min., 2022 English, Episodic, Comedy)
Get to know the Plant Moms of New York- a plant parenting group of digital millennials who strive to dictate their identities before others do it for them.
MAL DE AMORES (LOVESICK)
Dir. Fiorella Vescovi Garcia
(USA, 15 min., 2022, English/Spanish, Episodic, Comedy)
When a hopeless romantic finds out her ex-girlfriend is newly engaged, she goes to her friends expecting to be coddled, but reality sets in when they call her out for prioritizing her past over their friendship.
Ritmo Latino
3/10 • 6:15PM • S2
From the very beginning of film history music was paired together with the visuals to make for a more compelling visual experience.
More than 100 years later filmmakers continue to find ingenious ways to combine music and film in this assemblage of shorts and music videos that will have you leaving the cinema with rhythm.
Each Of Us
Dir. Harllon Peixoto Ferreira Filho
(4 min., Brazil, Portuguese w/ English subtitles, Music Video)
A musician seeks a way to deal with the pain of an irreparable loss.
Sentir El Son
Dir. Karla Bernadette Duarte
(18 min., USA, English, Spanish w/ English subtitles, Documentary)
Franchesca, an Afro-Mexican, grew up in L.A. and was immersed in a Mexican culture that forced her into questioning her racial identity. This poetic documentary short explores through the feelingbody the meaning of ethnic and gender identity through West African and Afro-Mexican practices in music, song, and dance.
LA GUAGUA 47
Dir. Pedro Escarcega (9 min., USA, English, Spanish, Music Video)
A young Latina, newly arrived to the big city, feels very alone. One day, she learns about La Guagua 47 (the 47 bus) and embarks on a journey that changes her life.
BOCA PUNK
Dir. Thelma Ruiz
(8 min., México, Spanish w/ English subtitles, Drama)
After walking home alone, a shy fifteen year-old girl is rescued by a punk entity who shows her a world where she'll fit in just as she is.
EMPRESS - ‘LEMME B ME’
Dir. Gustavo E Guardado Jr.
(4 min., USA, English, Music Video)
A cinematic music video full of metaphoric and historic interpretations of how women were treated through the 50's until present day.
VIVIR TODA LA VIDA
Dir. Marlén Ríos-Farjat
(5 min., México, Spanish, Music Video)
A young woman returns home to find solace and enjoys life again with her mother.
NØ SHADES - ‘MIDNIGHT STRANGERS’
Dir. Marco Fregoso
(5 min, México, English, Spanish, Music Video)
Official music video for Nø Shades's single "Midnight Strangers".
SM FAMILIA - AYÚDANOS
Dir. Felix Sierra, Lennie Westfall
(4 min., USA, Spanish, English, Music Video)
Music video for the song "Ayúdanos" by SM Familia
SATURDAY FUEGO DIABLO
Dir. Anita Abbasi
(12 min., Canada, Spanish w/ English subtitles, Dramedy)
In 1981 Montreal, four Salvadoran siblings, new to Canada, seek distance from the uprisings occurring in their home country by hitting a night club, but not all goes as planned.
THE SLEEPWALKERS - ‘AMOR LEJANO’
Dir. Anthony Garcia-Munoz (4 min., México, Spanish, Music Video)
Music video for the song "Amor Lejano" by The Sleepwalkers
BULEVAR DESCARGA - ‘TIA JUANA’ (8 min., USA/México, Spanish, Music Video)
Music video for the song “Tia Juana” by Bulevar Descarga
LA DIABLA - ‘LA HISTORIA SOMBRIA’
Dir. Rick Alvarez
(3 min., México, Spanish, Music Video)
Music video for the song "La historia sombria" by La Diabla VIVA
Mujeres
3/11 • 4:00PM • S2
Friendship, tradition, and determination are all in full display in this assemblage of shorts from Latina filmmakers.
BAJO UN MISMO CIELO
Dir. Ana Laura Calderón
(15 min., Mexico, Spanish w/ English subtitles, Drama)
Andrea (4) and Marina (6) become friends playing on the rooftops of their buildings during the pandemic. They cling to their precious friendship in this lonely time, until Marina, unexpectedly, has to move from her home.
ABUELITA'S KITCHEN: MEXICAN FOOD STORIES
Dir. Ebony Marie Bailey
(27 min., USA, English, Spanish w/ English subtitles, Documentary)
A group of indigenous, mestiza, Mexican-American, and AfroMexican grandmothers have cooked, preserved, and passed on Mexican food culture while creating community and a culture that is unique to Southern California.
Polvo De Monta A
Dir. Marlén Ríos-Farjat (19 min., Mexico, Spanish w/ English subtitles, Drama)
The mountains around Monterrey are being quarried at an incredible rate and Jessy, a young domestic worker, witnesses the scope of the economic forces that are destroying her family's health.
Estrellas Del Desierto
Dir. Katherina Harder Sacre
(19 min., Chile, Spanish w/ English subtitles, Drama)
In the middle of the Atacama desert, Antay sees his town disappearing due to the drought. Alongside his friends and their football team, they will try to hang on to the last sun rays, their childhood fragments and the ties with those who still resist.
Daughter Of The Sea
Dir. Alexis C Garcia
(19 min., Puerto Rico, English, Spanish w/ English subtitles, Drama)
After the death of her grandfather, a young woman experiences a spiritual awakening when she is called by Yemaya, the orisha Goddess of the Sea.
Historias Originarias Shorts
Filmmakers take us on a journey to explore their own family’s history, custom and traditions and more in this assemblage of short documentaries.
3 DÍAS, 3 AÑOS
Dir. Florencia Gómez Sántiz (30 min., México, Spanish w/ English subtitles, Tzotzil w/ English subtitles, Documentary)
Elena, a Tsotsil woman from San Andrés Larraínzar, Chiapas, is challenged by the uses and customs of her people when an almost entirely male community assembly appoints her as a municipal trustee. During her term in office, the traditional practice of masculinity begins to be questioned.
Decolonizing Dinner
Dir. Alejandro Miranda Cruz (12 min., USA, English, Documentary)
A meal has the power to break down walls and barriers. Two Indigenous Chefs share their passion and culture through cooking, land, and family.
APINÁN - NOSOTROS LOS LENCA
Dir. Asael Talavera (25 min., Honduras, Spanish w/ English subtitles, Documentary)
An introspective artistic study on one of the original peoples of Honduras, the Lenca. Of pre-Columbian South American origins, the Lenca and their culture are kept alive by a community of 600,000. Every Honduran with indigenous blood has Lenca ancestry.
Strong Yaqui Women
Dir. Miroslava Gonzalez (13 min., USA, English, Documentary)
A mother recalls stories from her youth about her indigenous lineage and sets off on a journey to understand her place in a long line of resilient Yaqui Warriors.
¡SOMOS! LGBTQ+ CINE SHORTS
3/12 • 4:00PM • S2
From first love to first laugh, the array of shorts in this showcase will take you on a wild ride exploring what it means to live and embrace every inch of your identity in the most unapologetically way possible.
WAREHOUSE
Dir. Ahualt Amaro
(USA, 12:00 min, 2022, English, Comedy)
A queer, Latino-Indigenous, warehouse worker must choose between keeping his job or standing up to his boss when his LGBTQ colleagues are fired for demanding better working conditions.
THE LAST TIME WE CAME OUT OF THE CLOSET
Dir. Bruno Tadeu
(Brazil, 13:15 min, 2022, Portuguese w/ English subtitles, Comedy)
In a parallel television dimension, the letter G has never been bigger.
Novena
Dir. Fernando Lopez
(USA, 15 min, English/Spanish, Drama)
Two estranged highschool best-friends reunite at the novenario ceremony for one of their deceased mothers. Feelings resurface and past dynamics are bent in this slice of life narrative that explores the layers of machismo, culture and religion.
Ni Aqui Ni All
Dir. Ley Comas
(USA, 15:00 min, Spanish w/ English subtitles, Documentary)
A personal documentary that centers a conversation between filmmaker Ley Comas and their mother about their gender identity.
Rip Tide
Dir. Luisa Dantas
(USA, 13 min, English/Spanish, Drama)
A young queer couple celebrates their one-year "fauxniversary" at the beach, blissfully unaware of what the future holds.
Out In Place
Dir. Nicolas Jaras
(USA, 14:00 min, English/Spanish, Drama)
Carrie and Nayeli just bought their first home in Joshua Tree and are creating a new life in the desert together. In the midst of unpacking, the duo spontaneously decides to indulge in psychedelic mushrooms leaving them to explore their new stomping grounds.
SAY IT - AN AUTOFICTION
Dir. Evandro Manchini
(Brazil, 15 min, English/Spanish, Drama)
Mixing performance and symbolism, the film approaches the experience of a young filmmaker as he deals with the complexity of receiving an HIV-positive diagnosis on his birthday.
Frontera Filmmaker Narratives
3/13 • 7:00PM • S10
Frontera Filmmaker Showcase celebrates the voices of filmmakers from the Tijuana-San Diego border region and films that deal with border related experiences. Through the films selected for this year, we seek to show the diverse experiences and perspectives of this unique and vibrant place where cultures and communities interact and influence each other. From personal and intimate narratives, glimpses of the past and our daily lives, these films offer a rich range of stories that capture the vibrant and varied border experience.
FUEGO
Dir. Edwin FrankO
(22 min., USA, English, Drama)
The film begins with a look at the generation’s past, a snapshot of
Giovanni’s father dancing with a woman back in the 1980s. This is an example of his “Fuego,” the purpose or passion in one’s life. The story that Gio tells about his Fuego is framed around his friends, Eddie and Joel in a bar on New Year’s Eve, leading up to midnight.
Consuelo
Dir. JL Ruiz
(17 min., México, Spanish w/ English subtitles, Drama)
Consuelo, a lonely woman who cleans bathrooms, finds herself involved in a series of circumstances that push her mind to seek a way to fill her inner void.
Piedras Gordas
Dir. Jorge Garcia
(30 min., México, Spanish w/ English subtitles, Thriller, Neo Noir)
Samuel Salcedo (The Chief) is a grieving police officer investigating a multiple murder case in Piedras Gordas, Tecate. While Baldomero Blancas, a corrupt police counterpart, hinders the Chief´s efforts to uncover the truth about the crime.
La Creacion
Dir. Layla Pamela Morán
(5 min., México, Spanish w/ English subtitles, Animation)
The creation myth tells the story of the two Kumiai brother gods Sipa and Komat, who after waking up in Wakunyur, their home in the center of the earth, decide to go to the surface. Once outside, they create the ants who built mount Wikami. After that, once the water had regressed, they took clay and started shaping the world.
Great Big Love Affair
Dir. Rafael Rodriguez M. (8 min., USA, English, Drama)
A needy and socially awkward medical examiner Emily desires companionship and she fills her emotional void by using those around her to play out her fantasies: The dead.
DON’T DO IT
Dir. Patrick Guera (7 min., USA, English, Drama)
A man fights intrusive thoughts at three key moments in his life.
Like Honey
Dir. Nicole Valencia (México, 16 min, 2022, Spanish w/ English subtitles, Drama)
A young woman with nothing to lose visits a beachside commune in Tijuana and gets caught up in a whirlwind of psychedelic drugs and healing practices, only to realize that this cult might not be paradise after all.
El Coraz N Shorts
3/14 • 4:45PM • S10
Some days you want to open up a grilled cheese truck with your loved ones and others you wish to delete all memories of them from your brain. Love isn’t always smooth in compilation of short films.
KEEP/DELETE
Dir. Kryzz Gautier (19 min., USA, English, Sci-Fi, Romance)
In a future world where memories are handled like computer files, two lovers decide to undergo a procedure and have their entire relationship wiped from their brains.
El Primer Dia Del Resto De Nuestras Vidas
Dir. Cabe Tejada
(3 min., México, Spanish w/ English subtitles, Dramedy)
Three roommates share multiple experiences across a short period of time.
GOOD MORNING, IGNACIO
Dir. Alan Jonsson Gavica , Leticia Fabián
(15 min., México, Spanish w/ English subtitles, Drama)
One morning, Ignacio discovers his beloved bonsai tree fighting for its life. The struggle for the survival of both Ignacio and his bonsai gives an unexpected turn to their lives.
Afterlife Of Memory
Dir. Jordan Fuller Vera
(10 min., USA, English, Sci-Fi, Romance, Drama)
A man undergoes a cognitive procedure to revisit the love of his life, but only has access to the memory that ended their marriage.
Las Piedras De Otto
Dir. Juan Bobbio
(8 min., Argentina, Spanish w/ English subtitles, Drama, Fantasy)
In a house in Buenos Aires, a woman mourns the death of her husband. One day, the family dog discovers a stone buried in the garden triggering an unexpected reunion.
Abracaribes
Dir. Paola Andrea Camacho (3 min., USA, Spanish w/ English subtitles, Documentary)
"ABRACARIBES: Abrazos, Caricias, y Besos" is a glimpse into the lives of two Colombian brothers who stay connected across borders, despite their separate lives and financial realities. Through technology they are now able to reminisce about their past together.
Grilled Queso
Dir. Sergio Eduardo Munoz Esquer (13 min., USA, English, Spanish w/ English subtitles)
A night in the life of a couple working in a food truck in the busiest area in Austin.
Boiling Over
Dir. Paulo Miranda
(11 min., Brazil, Portuguese w/ English subtitles, Comedy)
A wife asks her husband for a divorce and without hesitation, he accepts. From there, an unusual and amusing conversation between them ensues, exposing each other's secret desires and unknown personas.
Documania Shorts
3/15 • 4:45PM • S2
A luchador contemplates retirement, a community leader fights for their people and their land, and more in these short form nonfiction slices of reality.
OUTLIER: TRUST
Dir. Faith E. Briggs, Dani Reyes-Acosta (16 min., USA, English, Documentary)
Two women face down the biggest of enemies in the mountains— themselves—as they discover who they are (and who they want to be) on a rugged backcountry ski trip to SE Utah.
KEMONITO: LA ÚLTIMA CAÍDA
Dir. Teresa de Miguel (23 min., Mexico, Spanish w/ English subtitles, Documentary)
Kemonito, the beloved mascot of Mexico's World Wrestling Council, has been trying to retire for years due to his many injuries, but the financial burden it would cause his family if he retired doesn’t allow him to.
Socorro
Dir. Susanna Lira
(15 min., Brazil, Portuguese w/ English subtitles, Documentary)
The documentary "Socorro" follows the struggle of community leader Socorro do Burajuba, president of the Association of Caboclos, Indigenous and Quilombolas of the Amazon.
Tierra F Rtil
Dir. Eugenia Renteria
(14 min., Mexico, Spanish w/ English subtitles, Documentary)
A bittersweet love letter to a small village up in the mountains of Zacatecas, Mexico, where the droughts can be as intense as the love of the people who live there.
Nania 1988
Dir. Diana Orduna
(11 min., Ecuador, Spanish w/ English subtitles, Experimental)
Diana, an Ecuadorian who grew up away from her country attempts to decipher identity and territory through her life history in this experimental, autobiographical documentary.
La Vista Desde Arriba
Dir. Rafael Martínez Sánchez
(14 min., Mexico, Spanish w/ English subtitles, Documentary)
An advertising tarpaulin crew, hundreds of feet up in the air, risks their lives daily as part of their job, facing intense weather, equipment shortages and systemic discrimination.
Wandering
Dir. Karla Meza
(13 min., Canada, French w/ English subtitles, Documentary)
For the past three years, a young Mexican asylum seeker has been forced to put his academic career and his dream of becoming a police officer on hold due to his immigration status. Socially isolated, he clings to the daily life he shares with his family and tries, as best he can, to occupy his time while waiting for the life he dreams of.
Frontera Filmmakers Documentary Shorts
3/15 • 7:00PM • S10
Frontera Filmmaker Showcase celebrates the voices of filmmakers from the Tijuana-San Diego border region and films that deal with border related experiences. Through the films selected for this year, we seek to show the diverse experiences and perspectives of this unique and vibrant place where cultures and communities interact and influence each other. From personal and intimate narratives, glimpses of the past and our daily lives, these films offer a rich range of stories that capture the vibrant and varied border experience.
NUESTRO LUGAR SEGURO
Dir. Andrea Falcon
(15 min., México, Spanish w/ English subtitles, Documentary)
Sapphos's Café opens its doors to provide a safe space for the LGBTIA+ community in the city of Tijuana, which, despite being multicultural and modern, is still part of a prejudiced and dangerous country.
TEJEÉ (LA TIYEI)
Dir. Ángel Estrada
(22 min, México, Spanish w/ English subtitles, experimental)
Experimental sounds, space, the city, ancestral medicinal knowledge, and urban activism come together to heal the border in this short film that is more community science than fiction.
Alg N D A Caer
(15 min., México, Spanish w/ English subtitles, Documentary)
From the mouth of the Rio Grande to the beaches of Tijuana, two girls play on separate ends of the U.S. Mexico border thousands of miles apart.
SOY FRONTERIZA
Dir. Yadira Gutierrez (Yega)
(11 min., México, Spanish w/ English subtitles, video essay)
Video ensayo sobre la experiencia de una madre migrante yuxtapuesta con el cotidiano de la vida en la frontera, el archivo personal y el contexto fronterizo.
LA HUERTA, KUMEYAAY PRIDE
Dir. Jorge Antonio Garcia
(29 min., México, Spanish w/ English subtitles, Documentary)
The story of a small Kumeyaay community of about 250 inhabitants between Ensenada and San Felip, Baja California
EL MOVIMIENTO CONTINUES…SHORTS
3/16 • 6:00PM • S11
Chicano history, art and the fight for fair labor practices are all explored in this selection of thought-provoking and necessary shorts.
LA CAUSA
Dir. Artutro Ripstein
(29 min., Mexico, Spanish w/ English subtitles, Documentary)
In 1974, Arturo Ripstein sat down with Chicano leader César Chávez to speak on the movement United Farm Workers union was leading to protect the rights of field workers all over the United States. (Special Restoration presented by IMCINE Mexico.)
FARMING FOR FREEDOM
Dir. Gabriel Amaru Zendejas (5 min., USA, English, Documentary)
In this short documentary, Lawrence Zendejas, a former field worker, discusses growing up as an impoverished Chicano in the United States.
LO SIENTO MI VIDA
Dir. Ashley James (4 min., USA, Spanish, Documentary)
Daniel Valdez, of El Teatro Campesino, David Hidalgo, of Los Lobos, & Eugene Rodriguez, of Los Cenzontles, interpret Lo Siento Mi Vida, composed by Linda Ronstadt, her father Gilbert Ronstadt, and Kenny Edwards.
EL OJO COMIENZA EN LA MANO
Dir. Yehuda Sharim (15 min., USA, English, Documentary)
A tribute to campesino stories in rural CA through the artwork of an artist largely absent from critical conversations on Chicanx art, Ruben A. Sanchez, as well as an unsentimental reckoning with the fate of many cultural workers that struggle between paying rent and/or creative endeavors.
50 YEARS OF CHICANA/O STUDIES
Dir. Paul Espinosa (23 min., USA, English, Documentary)
Former students and professors reflect on the impact which the Department of Chicana/Chicano Studies at San Diego’s City College has had on their lives over the last 50 years.
Un Mundo Extra O
3/16 • 8:30PM • S2
Storytellers have always used fantasy, science fiction and unreality to lend some perspective to our everyday experiences. These short films come from this time-honored tradition.
La Melod A Torrencial
Dir. José Luis Saturno (7 min., México, Spanish w/ English subtitles, Animation)
A town suffering a long drought entrusts its destiny to a wandering musician who has the power to bring rain with his accordion.
A Bitter Murmur
Dir. Manuel Baeza (8 min., USA, English, Horror)
When Samantha's struggle with loneliness and isolation brings the return of a haunting presence from her childhood, she is forced to question what is real and what isn't.
EL ESCARABAJO
Dir. Guido Mauas (13 min., Argentina, Spanish w/ English subtitles, Horror)
A man wakes up in the middle of the night and hears a creaking sound that seems to come from the walls. In the following days, he will find that something strange lives inside him.
Dead Enders
Dir. Fidel Ruiz-Healy, Tyler Walker
(12 min., USA, English, Horror, Comedy)
A disaffected, young gas-station clerk on the midnight shift, must learn to give a damn about something after malevolent mind-controlling bugs are set loose by irresponsible oil drillers.
The Ciguapa
Dir. Blaine Morris
(14 min., USA, English, Horror, Supernatural)
Manny and Leo, a queer couple, go to a cabin for their anniversary but a mysterious woman they find in the woods threatens to break them apart.
Hijas De Brujas
Dir. Faride Schroeder Lases
(12 min., México, Spanish w/ English subtitles, Magic Realism, Horror)
A woman brings her newborn daughter to visit her family in Mexico where they participate in an ancient forest ritual in which they discover they are inevitably connected to the power of their female lineage.
THE BLUE DRUM
Dir. Angelita Mendoza
(16 min., USA, English, Horror, Thriller, Supernatural)
A woman mourning her father's passing is tormented by memories of a mother she never knew. A presence reveals secrets hidden within her family home.
VOSes SHORTS
3/17 • 4:45PM • S11
There are nearly 5.2 million persons of Central American descent in the United States and that number doubled in the last 10 years. VOSes gives voice to those who speak in “vos”. It puts the oft-forgotten voices of Central American characters at the center stage by highlighting the works of Central American filmmakers, helping viewers bypass the stereotypical media portrayals of a culture that is of increasing importance in the American social fabric.
Check On A Mate
Dir. Salvador Aguilar Estrada
(Honduras, Canada, 12 min., English, Drama)
Fred Brooks lives at a nursing home and spends his days playing chess through mail correspondence with his old friend Marcel. One day, Marcel stops writing back to him and now Fred must find out why.
MADELAINE
Dir. Leonor Zúniga
(Nicaragua, 28 min., 2023, Spanish and English w/ English subtitles, DocuShort)
A 20 year old living in exile in Costa Rica prepares for her first art exhibition while she recounts the violent events that forced her to leave Nicaragua during the 2018 national protests.
MEMORIA VIVA: FEBE ELIZABETH VELÁSQUEZ
Dir. Gabriela Turcios & Daniel Portillo
(El Salvador, 7 min., 2023, Spanish w/ English subtitles, Animation)
The life story of unionist Febe Elizabeth Velásquez, leader of the Salvadoran union movement active during the armed conflict of the 1980s.
DIRECCIONES
Dir. María Luisa Santos and Carlo Nasisse
(Costa Rica, 14 min., 2023, Spanish w/ English subtitles. Docu-Short)
In Costa Rica there are no street addresses. Instead, an address contains directions in reference to landmarks. In this film, a woman who has always felt a pressing anxiety by this lack of order tries to understand its origins.
¡OPORTUNIDAD!
Dir. Jesús Vanegas
(El Salvador, 14 min., 2022, Spanish w/ English subtitles, Drama)
After going through a depressing job interview, Manuel must face his mother and his friends, who offer different perspectives about the current labor market.
EL ALJIBE
Dir. Alejandro Ferlini
(Spain / Costa Rica, 10 min., 2022, Spanish w/ English subtitles, Drama)
Antonio and Alberto live in a world without water. Facing his brother's illness, Antonio climbs to the top of the Volcano in search of the sacred water contained in El Aljibe.
NICTÉ
Dir. Irene Paz
(Guatemala, France, 10 min., 2022, Spanish and French w/ English subtitles, Drama)
A young woman working in an art gallery in Paris tries to stop the auction of a stolen Mayan piece.
¡HAY QUE REIRSE! SHORTS
3/17 • 6:45PM • S10
In a world full of ups and downs these films find comedy in the mundane, laughter in the irreverent and moments of levity in the absurd. When life gets too serious these filmmakers remind us that sometimes you just have to laugh!
(HA-HA)
Dir. Alberto Acosta
(USA, 6 min., 2023, Spanish, English w/ English Subtitles, Comedy)
Alejandro loves to laugh. But after his girlfriend makes a comment about it he becomes self conscious, causing him to stop doing something that he loves. How long can he keep it up?
Wish Upon A Disco Ball
Dir. Anabel Iñigo
(USA, 19 min., 2022, English, Comedy, Drama)
A disco musical about two Afro-Latina sisters who find out what it means to grow up – and how that doesn’t mean growing apart.
The Guitar Thief
Dir. Miguel Lepe Jr (USA, 16 min., 2023, English, Comedy)
Two Mariachis in a newly gentrified neighborhood try to make their rent in this ‘day in a life’ comedy filled with family drama and shenanigans.
Le Petite Mort
Dir. Matthew Law & Grasie Mercedes (15 min., 2022, English, Comedy)
Two very hard to please people with repressed sexual energy find
