The Latin Grantees Take Manhattan

After days and weeks of harried event-planning and long hours at the office, the tenth Tribeca Film Festival came and went in a flurry. This being my first working festival, I came into it with high expectations and an open mind, while also nervously awaiting the hectic pacing and busy atmosphere. In the end, my expectations were fully met and I managed to hold my own amidst the chaos!

Besides the festival reaching its ten-year milestone, it also incorporated into the family new filmmakers that received support from TFI’s newest documentary funds, one of which is the Latin America Media Arts Fund. In previous years, this fund was strictly nomination-based and centered solely on Mexican filmmakers.

Last fall, however, the fund was given a refreshing re-boot, and it is now open to all Latino filmmakers living and/or working in Mexico, Central and South America. Through this fund, TFI seeks to emphasize and discover unique presentations of underrepresented Latino communities – and in doing so, foster the growth & talent of creative Latin filmmakers.

The four Latin grantee projects selected this year encompass a rich array of human-interest stories. Juan Mejia’s Battle for Land spotlights black Colombians’ struggles against mass displacement in their region, while Heidi Brandenburg and Mathew Orzel’s When Two Worlds Collide chronicles the ordeals of a Peruvian indigenous leader defying the exploitative control of the Amazon. In Bolivia, Violeta Ayala delves into the tumultuous friendship between two jailed drug traffickers with Cocaine Prison, and Alba Mora-Roca’s Toys profiles a family-run toy museum in Mexico City that helps children overcome their violent surroundings.

All of these dynamic works were celebrated throughout the festival, and of these four projects, two were represented at events by their filmmakers. Their presence here not only made for quite an enjoyable time, but it also effortlessly brought TFI’s rapport with them full-circle.

Having spent the past five months interacting with the grantees via email, I was able to finally meet them in person. Both of the attending filmmaking teams were incredibly receptive to the festival’s hectic pace, and they each brought their own distinct approach to getting exposure for their film.

While Juan Mejia and his co-producers -- Juan Castañeda and Juan Yepes -- handed out business cards and talked up the importance of Battle for Land through social networking, Alba and her Toys producing partners -- Susana Casares & Arturo Diaz -- carried around vintage action figures that they picked up from the toy museum at the center of their documentary. Throughout all of this, as I hastily worked one event after the other, I could see a close bond forming among them as well as a collaborative spirit fueled by the need to advocate for Latin cinema.

Now, looking onwards after the festival, TFI’s Latin Fund continues to grow. With the announcement of the four Latin grantees at the TFI Awards Brunch also came news of Heineken coming onboard as the fund’s official sponsor, bringing with it a fifth award: the Heineken Voces grant, specifically designed to support US-based Latino filmmakers. From its refurbished launch at the Morelia Film Festival last October to its current dynamic roster of grantees, the Latin Fund is expanding its outreach to further bridge the gap between Latin American talent and stateside recognition. The groundwork has already been laid out -- now it’s time to band together!

¡Felicidades a Alba, Heidi, Juan y Violeta!

[Photos provided by Susana Casares and Alba Mora-Roca]