Director's statement:
I am not represented in film, or any other art form as a Mexican-American. With the direction of someone who has seen these family dynamics upfront, it ensures that the story will be handled with the care that it deserves, and shine light on people that are never represented.
The pressure Latino men face to embody strength, and the silence around mental and physical decline within the community are realities that rot behind closed doors while most stories regarding these issues offer us sanitized versions or none at all. There is a major issue of tokenism in the industry — I am confident that I’ve written an authentic story that reflects the struggles that I have seen in my community.
I crafted this piece not only with passion but with responsibility — I know the budget is an incredibly important element to the film. An emotionally impactful and memorable story doesn’t need to bend the world upside down. I understand that my fellow contestants will be submitting work that emphasizes important issues and topics with great depth, but can suffer due to flashier concepts. The limited location, time, and few actors will likely match the 5000 dollar budget well, and this was written with the understanding that every dollar must be used responsibly.
So far, I have written 7 feature screenplays and 3 shorts – I am currently working on my 8th feature. Over my years of writing scripts—some awful, some I am proud of, I have developed a style that emphasizes Latino stories with musical, surrealist elements, which are reflected in this 6 page piece. My broader body of work reflects my belief that cinematic storytelling should emerge from lived identity and cultural experiences that must be shared with the world.
