The stories of Juan, Rushian and Ivianyd are woven with greatness. In their experiences, we can see ourselves reflected in the challenges of living and being from the Luis Llorens Torres public housing project in Puerto Rico. Their individual and collective stories are a mirror of the internalized realities that youth in Latin America and the Global Diaspora must deal with: Loss, rejection, social and sexual orientation discrimination. Join us to witness the humanity of Juan, Rushian and Ivianyd rooted in resilience, courage, and dreams with heart.

SHORT DOCUMENTARY I 18 minutos I Puerto Rico I 2023

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La memoria de las cosas (The Memory of Things) is a short film about the subtle poetic of the storyteller's Soul. The reconstruction of a small roof in her old and sage house, serves as a metaphor for the restoration of the self and the community. Through performance imagery and casual conversation, this documentary explores her spiritual introspection and the embodiment of love. Come to watch this sacred piece about the individual and collective walk of the Jungle that is life itself. A collaboration with artist Kairiana Núñez Santaliz, this project was supported by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, Northwestern University, & University of Texas at Austin, through the Puerto Rican Arts Initiative (PRAI).

Have you ever wondered how life would be in Puerto Rico with no dependency on a car? In Scrap Island, you will be able to contemplate the paradox that our beautiful archipelago faces. Year by year, the lack of efficient public transportation increasingly pushes Puerto Ricans to depend on cars. Accompany us to watch with heart the reality recorded in 2007. Perhaps you have already inquired: What can I do in my community to imagine more sustainable futures for our descendants?

“Las caras lindas de mi gente negra,” (The Beautiful Faces of my Black People), is a song full of love that Ismael “Maelo” Rivera gifted us with his performance. However, it is Eugenia Ivelisse Rivera-Rivera who has shared the dual journey that keeping her brother’s memory alive has entailed. With human fierceness, she tells us, between smiles, dancing, and singing, the responsibility as the bearer of the glory of the Sonero Mayor. Join us to discover the historical memory this beautiful woman fights to protect.

It seems as if Hurricane María impacted both living people as well as their ancestors. From the voice and experiences of Luis A. Robles, the grave keeper from the Municipal Cemetery of Lares; we will perceive the grief that means losing again the sacred space where beloved relatives and family members have been buried.

What would happen if Diana allowed herself to enjoy accompanying her mother to the supermarket? Come to be captivated by the narrative that this short fiction film invites us to experience. Here, according to screenwriter Gisela Rosario Ramos and director Karen Rossi, it is worth resignifying the experiences over and over.

A House Full of Gratitude is a short documentary that explores the mysteries of the ancient Casa Betances, nowadays Casa Grande. This patrimony built in 1910 has survived the worst hurricanes in the archipelago. It’s a house in which many folks co-created a home or a place for business throughout the seasons. Would you like to be inspired by a creative ensemble who talks about the restoration of Casa Grande? Would you like to explore the endless possibilities to co-create, sustain, and restore within flexible structures? Join us on this beautiful journey commissioned by Polito 151 to learn about a reclaimed cultural patrimony that inspires sustainable alternative construction for Borikén.