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Latine Track Highlights

Silent Beauty
Director: Jasmín Mara López
Runtime:88 min
Rated: PG-13
SILENT BEAUTY is a personal documentary that follows Director Jasmin López as she works to heal from child sexual abuse she endured at the hands of her grandfather, Gilberto, almost thirty years ago. In the process of sharing her own trauma with her large family, Jasmin learns that generations of children in her family were victims of the same abuse. Told from the director’s perspective, SILENT BEAUTY is a film about confronting and accepting difficult truths while finding beauty in the process.

Oliver & the Pool
Director:Arcadi Palerm-Artis
Runtime:100 min
Rated: PG-13
Oliverio sets the urn that contains his father’s ashes on the table next to the poolside chaise lounge. He grabs his phone and types in a word: aneurism. Oliverio’s father died during a family dinner, just after his parents announced that they were getting divorced. His mother already had a new man in her life. Oliverio, a 13-year-old only child, installs himself on the chaise lounge and decides that he will stay right there. From that very spot he continues his life – mourning, observing, learning to forgive, and falling in love. Narrative Feature. . Mexico. Oregon Premiere

ASSETS

SHORTS:
Into The Colors
El Mono
Hoar
Wolves
Push
Calabaza
The Thing That Happened
Miss Patti

FEATURES:
#IamVanessaGuillen
Ahead of the Competition
Borrowed
Intersection
Oliver & the Pool
Silent Beauty
Truly Texas Mexican
Strangers to Peace

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SUMMARIES:

Into the Colors – AIR, WATER, EARTH, FIRE These are elements that as we know, each contribute and are necessary to life. This story gives voice to these elements, sharing their grief and pain to what is happening to them and the world as a whole. In our continued dedication to destroy our earth we forget to see and respect what gives us life and what is struggling to stay alive for us. For even if we cannot see or care, these elements continue to give what little they have left. This story is one that is dedicated to recognizing the beauty and pain that exists as an are the beating earths heart and soul. Through dance each element is represented in their own scene, taking the viewer into each of its struggle; fighting the ongoing destruction juxtaposed with its original intent of love, beauty and life. In addition to the performance filmed – there will be a voice over poem in a different language and subtitled throughout the film. The mood is somber – opening up the audience to the world we live in everyday, as a whole and individually. Narrative short. Directed by Jessica Teresa Juliao. 6.40 min. USA. Portland Premiere
El Moño – After her favorite sock goes missing, Andrea learns of generational family magic that helps her find all kinds of lost objects in the most unexpected ways. Soon enough, however, she’ll find out that toys and coins aren’t the only things that can get lost. Narrative Short. Directed by Luis Fernando Puente & Lizde Arias. 8.28 min. USA. West Coast Premiere

Hoar – When a phone sex operator is accepted into a PhD program across the globe, she must confront her devout Catholic mother, a codependent hoarder, with her difficult decision. Narrative Short. Directed by Jeanette Dilone. 16.17 min. USA. Portland Premiere

Wolves – Three criminals fight boredom in a lonely cantina by humoring a mysterious old woman when she offers to tell them a story…a story that may have their fates sealed within it. Narrative Short. Directed by Jesús Celaya. 13.28 min. USA. Portland Premiere

Push – “Push,” is a story of self discovery, found in the simple joys of skateboarding. Written and directed by Jasmine Quinones, the film explores ideas of identity and quickly becomes an anthem for the inner-strength that can be found in finding a community. Narrative Short. Directed by Jasmine. 6.15 min. USA. Festival Premiere

Calabaza – On the Friday before Halloween, Martin, a Mexican-American rocker dude, feels like celebrating. He’s getting ready to finally move out and has plans to carve pumpkins with his new love, Lynn, a Filipina rocker girl. At the last minute, Lynn asks to change their date to his place, sending Martin into a panic. Martin is embarrassed to be living at home with his depressed alcoholic dad, Lorenzo and the evidence of their deteriorating relationship is all around him.Martin scrambles to hide the truth about himself and Lorenzo, but when Lynn arrives, things get out of control and Martin realizes he can’t keep it all a secret anymore. He’s forced to confront his dad and his own insecurities, learning that honest, vulnerable conversations are the only way forward. Narrative Short. Directed by Stephanie Osuna-Hernandez. 14.51 min. USA. Portland Premiere

The Thing That Happened – A troubled young woman and her therapist wade through the surreal landscape of her mind to face a traumatic childhood event. Narrative Short. Directed by Amelia Asilis. 7.10 min. USA. World Premiere

Miss Patti – Patti, a seemingly deferential cleaning woman, cheerfully endures the passive-aggressive condescension of her hipster employers Lauren and Lily… that is, until Patti is left alone in the house and her secret profession is revealed. Narrative Short. Directed by Kate Hamilton & Grasie Mercedes. 10 min. USA. Portland Premiere

IamVanessaGuillen – After the 2020 murder of Fort Hood soldier Vanessa Guillen, soldier Karina Lopez launches a movement to transform how the military addresses sexual assault. Documentary Feature. Directed by Andrea Patiño Contreras. 72 min. USA. Festival Premiere

Ahead of the Competition – In hopes of solving her family’s financial crisis, Marysol, youngest sibling and agronomy student, decides to dabble in the medical cannabis growing industry. When faced with its high costs and government regulations, she must convince her parents of starting a clandestine operation at home while they can meet the legal requirements. This dysfunctional family then embarks on an adventure that promises to bring them closer, but things get complicated when, due to their lack of experience, they end up in business with the wrong people. Under the watch of the authorities and without realizing it, this family will face their own worst enemies: themselves. Narrative feature. Directed by Israel Lugo. 107 min. Puerto Rico. North America Premiere
Borrowed- David, a middle aged painter and former Navy officer living in a secluded but beautiful shoreline house in the Florida Keys, breaks his willful isolation to do a portrait of a very special guest: young, edgy and openly gay Justin; but as the date takes an unexpected turn, David must do everything in his power to keep control of the situation while discovering Justin’s true intentions. Narrative Feature. Directed by Carlos Rafael Betancourt & Oscar Ernesto Ortega. 90 min. USA. World Premiere

Intersection – Chilean refugee Daniela wants to travel back to Chile to learn more about her family as her father is reluctant to talk about his past. But she is about find much more than she expected. Narrative Feature. Directed by Cecilia Araneda. 98 min. Canada. International Premiere

Oliver & the Pool – Oliverio sets the urn that contains his father’s ashes on the table next to the poolside chaise lounge. He grabs his phone and types in a word: aneurism. Oliverio’s father died during a family dinner, just after his parents announced that they were getting divorced. His mother already had a new man in her life. Oliverio, a 13-year-old only child, installs himself on the chaise lounge and decides that he will stay right there. From that very spot he continues his life – mourning, observing, learning to forgive, and falling in love. Narrative Feature. Directed by Arcadi Palerm-Artis. 100 min. Mexico. Oregon Premiere

Silent Beauty – SILENT BEAUTY is a personal documentary that follows Director Jasmin López as she works to heal from child sexual abuse she endured at the hands of her grandfather, Gilberto, almost thirty years ago. In the process of sharing her own trauma with her large family, Jasmin learns that generations of children in her family were victims of the same abuse. Told from the director’s perspective, SILENT BEAUTY is a film about confronting and accepting difficult truths while finding beauty in the process. Documentary Feature. Directed by Jasmin Mara López. 88 min. USA. Portland Premiere

Truly Texas Mexican (2021) – Delicious “Comida Casera,” (home cooking) of Texas Mexican American families, made famous in the late 1800s by indigenous businesswomen, chefs. Later dubbed “Chili Queens,” the innovative chefs were harassed and forced out of business, victims of racism. The road movie weaves through San Antonio, Corpus Christi, Brownsville and other Texas cities, naming the racism that erased Native American history. Intrepid women kept on cooking innovative dishes, culinary creations, and in the process, strengthened the community’s living memory and heritage. They build a table where ALL ARE WELCOME. Documentary Feature. Directed by Anibal Capoano. 90 min. USA.

Strangers to Peace – 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. Strangers to Peace intimately captures the personal stories of Dayana, the market vendor navigating her new identity as a trans woman; Ricardo, the young father secretly clinging to his communist ideology; and Alexandra, the indigenous child soldier, who was forced to leave her family behind in the Amazon. Their stories are told through the lens of filmmaker Laura Angel, who herself was a victim of FARC violence. Documentary Feature. Directed by Laura Bibibana Angel Rengifo & Noah David DeBonis. 86 min. Colombia. West Coast Premiere

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