Empowering Women & Communities Through Film

The “Aquí y Allá” Mural Documentary will featured at the “Empowering Women & Communities Through Film” on Friday, February 21st, 2014 at 6:30 pm at Café Mayapan, 2000 Texas Avenue, El Paso, Texas.

This free event will be hosted by La Mujer Obrera and Rebirth Multimedia.

La Mujer Obrera was founded by women garment workers to improve the quality of life of low-income Hispanic families and revitalize the former Garment District (Chamizal neighborhood) in El Paso, Texas. This community-based organization creates cultural and economic development that recognizes Mexican immigrant workers’ heritage and contributions to El Paso. http://mujerobrera.org/about-us/

REBIRTH MULTIMEDIA produces independent films also works in community and education arenas providing multimedia needs for non-profit organizations, foundations and community events as well as academic research in ethnographic studies and grant proposal marketing & video. http://www.rebirthmultimedia.com/rebirth_site/identity.html

The "Aquí y Allá" Mural Documentary in the Museo de Arte de Ciudad Juárez

Thursday, November 21^st, 2013 at 8pm

El Museo de Arte de Ciudad Juàrez

Ave. Lincoln y Coyoacán s/n, Zona PRONAF
Cd. Juárez, Chihuahua, Mexico

El Museo de Arte de Cuidad Juàrez (Museum of Art in Juarez, Mexico) and Espacios Comunes will be presenting the “Aquí y Allá” Mural Documentary in their short documentary series.  Espacios Comunes (Common Spaces) is an exhibition that showcases the work of a new generation of artists in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. Espacios Comunes highlights collaborative, socially engaged work that supports community revitalization through various artistic disciplines: media, street art, installation, music and literature. 

For more information click here.

Check out the Upcoming Events!!!

Wednesday, September 25th, 2013 at 7:00 pm
University of Pennsylvania 
Ben Franklin Room, Houston Hall, 3601 Locust Walk, Philadelphia, PA 19104

La Casa Latina and Penn for Immigrant Rights will be having a documentary screening of the "Aqui y Alla" Documentary. After the screening, a panel discussion will be held with lead artist Michelle Angela Ortiz, Erika Almiron (the director of Juntos), and Amada Armenta (Assistant Professor of Sociology) about the project and the impact of immigration policies on youth. To join the event click here.

Thursday, September 26, 2013 2:30-3:45 pm
Millersville University
 
Lead artist, Michelle Angela Ortiz, will be presenting the "Aqui y Alla" Documentary at the International Policy Conference at Millersville University. This two-day event on September 26- 27 will feature inspiring speakers from many dimensions of human rights. For more info click here. 
 
Saturday, September 28th, 2013 2:00 pm
PASSAGES Exhibition at the Andrew Freedman House
1125 Grand Concourse, Bronx, NY
 
The "Aqui y Alla" Documentary will be shown during the series of events from the PASSAGES exhibition presented by Visiones Culturales, LLC. For more info click here.

From Philly to Texas to Juarez

Lead Artist, Michelle Angela Ortiz, traveled to El Paso, Texas and Juarez, Mexico to present the "Aquí y Allá" Documentary as part of the Del Corazon Film Festival. 

During her visit, Ortiz also spoke to young community leaders from La Fundación Comunitaria de la Frontera Norte, A.C., a nonprofit organization developing youth leaders in Ciudad Juarez and channeling philanthropic resources to the community.

Here are some highlights from the screening at the festival.

Street Movies features the "Aquí y Allá" Documentary

Celebrating its 16th year, Scribe Video Center’s Street Movies! is now a citywide, summer tradition that brings neighbors together to enjoy entertaining and thought-provoking independent films outdoors. Street Movies! uses short films as a springboard to get community members talking about the issues that are important to them. 

As part of Street Movies!, the "Aquí y Allá" Mural Documentary will be presented by artist Michelle Angela Ortiz with community partners Juntos and One Love Movement. The series of films will explore issues of immigration and present powerful stories through short films. 

• When: Friday, August 16th, 2013
• Time: 7:45 pm
• Location: In front of the "Aquí y Allá" Mural on 1515 South 6th Street 
• The event is FREE, Open to the Public, and Family-Friendly! Bring lawn chairs and blankets. 
• In case of rain, this event will be held on Saturday August 17. 

The event will be hosted by Michelle Angela Ortiz, artist, filmmaker, and creator of the “Aquí y Allá” mural, a transnational project between youth in the US and Mexico. The mural will provide a beautiful backdrop for this outdoor event.

The films featured at Street Movies! include:

Aquí y Allá (Here and There) by Michelle Angela Ortiz
Through testimonials of Mexican immigrant youth in Philadelphia and Mexico, Aquí y Allá follows their work—on both sides of the border—toward the creation of a collaborative 30’ x 67’ mural in South Philadelphia. The film explores the effect of immigration on their lives—through their family dynamic, sense of identity, shifting of cultures, socio-economic status, and violence against their communities. (Mexico/USA, 2012, 30 min)

Verses in Exile: Why I Write by Masahiro Sugano and Kosal Khiev
Why I Write is the first episode in a series of spoken word videos by Kosal Khiev, in collaboration with Studio Revolt. Khiev, a poet and tattoo artist, currently resides in Phnom Penh, Cambodia after spending 14 years in a US prison. Khiev tells his story through the art of spoken word poetry. (Cambodia, 2011, 8 min)

Dreamers by Reel Lives and Anonymous
This documentary follows struggle of undocumented youth in New York City in the wake of the failure of the Dream Act. It profiles the burgeoning “outing” movement where undocumented youth are declaring their citizenship status as part of a resistance movement to restrictive US immigration policy. (USA, 2011, 13 min)

One Love Movement Rally by Media Mobilizing Project
One Love organizers Joe and Ria describe the context of those facing deportation in the Cambodian-American community, and the effects of detention and deportation on families and communities. (USA, 2010, 3 min)

Immigrants for Sale by Cuéntame, Carlos Miranda, Axel Caballero, and Eliana Sosa
Immigrants For Sale is a ground-breaking online documentary series that goes inside the private immigrant detention industry, through the lens of those most impacted, the players behind the trade and the multi-billion dollar profits that fuel it all. (USA, 2010, 2 min)

Vamos JUNTOS by POPPYN
In this segment, POPPYN (Presenting our Perspective on Philly Youth News) covers a demonstration led by JUNTOS, a nonprofit organization that works to fight for the rights of the Latino immigrant community in Philadelphia and surrounding areas. (USA, 2013, 4 min)


This event is co-sponsored by HIAS Pennsylvania (http://hiaspa.org/)

Street Movies! is presented in part by PECO and by a grant through the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority’s Fund for Art and Civic Engagement (FACE).

Check out the upcoming "Aquí y Allá" Mural Documentary screenings this summer!

Friday, June 21, 2013, 7:00pm @ Scribe Video Center
4212 Chestnut Street 3rd Floor, Philadelphia
My documentary will be shown in Scribe's Storyville monthly screening series dedicated to showcasing contemporary documentaries produced by Philadelphia based independent film and video makers. For more information click here.

 

Friday, July 26th, 2013, 8:00 pm @ The Galleries at Moore
Aviator Park, 223 N 20th St, Philadelphia (at Ben Franklin Pkwy) adjacent to Moore College of Art + Design
Presented by the Galleries at Moore, my documentary will be part of the Film al Fresco juried competition and outdoor summer film series that showcases the work of independent filmmakers from the Greater Philadelphia region. For more information click here.

Upcoming Talks at Bryn Mawr College

Michelle Angela Ortiz, Lead Artist and Director of the "Aquí y Allá" project, will be giving to talks at Bryn Mawr College. Both events are free and open to the public. For directions click here.