Latino Public Broadcasting (LPB) recently announced the 14 Latinx films and digital media projects that it will fund this year. LPB executive director Sandie Viquez Pedlow says what unites all the works is the concept of “home.”
“Whether it’s the immigrant’s complex connection to their native land or the struggle of a community fighting to stand its ground in the midst of change, this year’s projects tell stories that explore complex and timely issues through a moving, personal lens,” Pedlow says.
This cycle, more films and digital projects were funded than ever before, according to LPB. Each year, LPB invites independent filmmakers to submit proposals for productions, post-production and digital support.
“We wanted to keep fueling the creativity of all Latino makers and enable them to create in a variety of formats, especially in a year where much of traditional filmmaking was shut down,” Pedlow says. “We’re proud to support all of our passionate media makers and look forward to bringing their work to a wide audience on PBS’s broadcast and digital platforms.”
Here is a look at all the film and digital media projects that are receiving funding from LPB this year.
Bartolo
A veteran organizer comes to a small town in Puerto Rico with a radical plan for a fresh start after Hurricane Maria.
Niños de Las Brisas (Children of Las Brisas)
Three talented young musicians living in Venezuela’s deadly Las Brisas district find hope for a better future by joining a local youth orchestra.
Slumlord Millionaire
A group of residents in Manhattan and Brooklyn fight corrupt landlords as they continue to lose their communities to gentrification.
Lo Que Dejamos Atras (What We Leave Behind)
The story follows an 89-year-old Mexican man who begins to build a new home in Durango for him and his blind son.
Los Desobedientes
An undocumented family decides to return home to Mexico after living for 20 years in North Carolina.
Silent Beauty
An autobiography on child sexual abuse and how the filmmaker faces a culture of silence as she tries to connect with her family.
Traces of Home
To discover her roots, a filmmaker travels with her parents to their ancestral homes in Mexico and Palestine.
Exodus Stories: Voices from the Caravan
Three immigrants flee violence in their home countries via caravan to the U.S. border where they don’t know what awaits them.
Paquito D’Rivera: From Carne y Frijol to Carnegie Hall
The story of Cuban jazz legend Paquito D’Rivera – from child prodigy to 14-time Grammy winner.
El Paisa
A queer skater punk experiences a transformation after an encounter with a vaquero on the streets of East L.A.
Mi Casa
Descendants of the first Mexican immigrants in Aurora, Illinois, recall their family stories about living in boxcar communities.
My Queerceañera
A 50-year-old transgender immigrant from Mexico living in Arizona dreams of having the quinceañera she never did decades ago.
The Next Message
Explores the compelling Latinx/African American Abdul-Shakur family, who were featured in the 2017 PBS special The Talk.
When It's Good, It's Good
A look at a filmmaker’s hometown in rural West Texas where oil is king, and everyone is struggling to survive.