United States / Mexico 2021, 79 min, English and Spanish, Hebrew subtitles
“Every one of us inherits the curses of our ancestors… I’m watching the curses of my family slowly kill us. So I’m going to war.” These are the words of the filmmaker, Rebeca Huntt (also known as Beba), spoken in her debut film, which paints a very sensitive, complicated self-portrait. Huntt was born to a Venezuelan mother and a Dominican father who raised three children in a one-bedroom apartment in Manhattan. As an Afro-Latina, she couldn’t help but face issues of race and class, develop a sharp political mind, and find refuge in literature, poetry, and theater. All these come into play when she sets out to investigate her family’s roots and conflicts, and finds the echoes of deep ancient wounds. Eight years in the making, the film manages to be powerful and profound without lapsing into sentimentality.
Previous Festivals: TIFF, Berlinale
Arts and Culture Depth of Field Competition Family Matters Gender Hybrid Immigration International Films The Cinematic Edge Women Directors