Crossing the concrete landscape of Los Angeles on public transport with precious cargo, Raquel (Sofia Yepes), a queer Latina aspiring to become a major music producer, is also carrying plenty of personal baggage wherever she goes. Her main occupation is working for a drug dealer, which comes with dangerous liabilities. Add to that her turbulent, unresolved past in the military, and the result is a ticking time bomb of pent-up rage. 

When Raquel runs into Veronica (Sidney Flanigan), a frazzled, but charming young woman who also claims to have creative dreams, she sees an opportunity for a fresh start. Best known for her lead role in the acclaimed indie Never Rarely Sometimes Always, Flanigan plays the part with believable fragility, while slowly revealing a more complex personality underneath the defenseless façade. Their serendipitous encounter is the foundation of the sleekly shot moody crime thriller The Low End Theory from writer-director Francisco Ordonez. Their instant connection spells trouble for Raquel, who willingly takes major risks both on the romantic and professional front in order to pursue this incandescent fling. 

From their first time the two women meet inside Raquel’s car, cinematographer Gemma Doll-Grossman’s camera becomes attached to their faces. The dance of intensely tight closeups playing with colorful lighting is how we come to understand the fiery spontaneity of what Veronica and Raquel feel for each other—whether at the club or during a moment of sexual intimacy. The camera can’t get any closer, and that’s an effective choice on Ordonez and Doll-Grossman’s part to communicate the raging emotions at play. 

But Raquel has a partner, Giselle (Ser Anzoategui), who happens to be the sister of her boss Uly (Eddie Martinez), a drug lord with a conscience. Then there’s the menacing presence of Efraim (Rene Rosado), her co-worker and the person with whom she creates music. All of these relationships, as well as Uly’s ill-obtained cash become entangled in a series of lies and terrible consequences that Raquel sets in motion in order to protect Veronica, who owes money to other nefarious parties that threaten to hurt if she doesn’t pay it back. 

For as much as The Low End Theory surrenders to well traveled paths when it comes to urban stories with a protagonist involved in illicit activities, the central relationship between Raquel and Veronica rings refreshing even when the screenplay leans into expected tropes. 

Yet, it’s Yepes’ convincingly layered performance as someone guided by a belief in a higher power, namely karmic forces, that keeps one invested in the narrative. Yepes remarkably conveys a cocktail of conflicted sentiments, particularly because of the clash between the positive light in which others see Raquel, and the dark, violent thoughts that plague her mind. There admittedly too many facets of Raquel’s world on display for any of them to truly take precedence. Thankfully Yepes remains consistently compelling through it all. 

Though far from entirely unique, The Low End Theory packs enough visual panache and the kinetic flourishes of Ordonez’s direction to result in an engaging neo-noir effort with characters who rarely get to be at the center of a story like this and where even the supporting parts benefit from above-average acting.

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In movies like Avatar and Guardians of the Universe, just to name a few, Zoe Saldana has solidified her creds as a lethal action / adventure hero superstar who happens to be Latina. And now on the heels of her powerful dramatic performance in Emilia Perez (and the girl can dance and sing, too), which has garnered her many award nominations, Saldana puts both acting / action talents in violent, harmonic, full blown display on Lioness.

Saldana plays Joe, the head of a top-secret special op unit called “Lioness.” Their top-secret CIA mission is to insert a female asset (a lioness) into terrorists’ cells and make high value targets in the cell vulnerable and exposed, at which point, Saldana’s team “terminate” the target with “extreme prejudice.”

Saldana and her team are salty, earthy, hardened, experienced warriors and they all drop more “F” bombs in one episode than all the bombs dropped  on Germany, Japan and Vietnam combined. The shootouts are nail-biting bullet blazing scenes with Saldana relishing all the action, almost to a fault.

Her life is complicated by a marriage and family she is neglecting to fulfil these dangerous missions.  Saldana finds herself torn between duty and family. She’s a flawed, adrenaline- driven, emotionally conflicted person. Saldana plays it beautifully in a compelling, riveting performance.

“Lioness” is the name of the special ops program and the female asset to be inserted in a terrorist cell. But it also perfectly describes the fierce persona of Zoe Saldana in this pulse-pounding, Latina character-driven, action, thriller hit Paramount+ Original TV series.

Lioness streams on Paramount+, Hulu and other streaming platforms.

Stars:  Zoe Saldana, Laysla De Oliveira, Dave Annable, Jill Wagn

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Becoming Frida explores the life of celebrated artist Frida Kahlo in a three-part docuseries. The series delves into major personal and political events of her life, including her stormy and devoted relationship with artist Diego Rivera.

The camera adored Frida Kahlo. She was so beautiful. Those dark, piercing, haunting, unforgiving eyes were like black mirrors reflecting her tortured body and tormented soul that found expression in her intimate, intensely personal art. Frida’s body of work was revered by such artistic giants as André Breton, the founder of surrealism, and her mentor, husband and love of her life legendary serial womanizer and biggest fan, the great Mexican muralist, Diego Rivera.

Rivera’s majestic wall murals were like historical and political storyboards about great people, Mexican history and significant world events.  But those magnificent wall murals said nothing about Rivera, the man. On the other hand, Frida’s small, mostly self-portraits and other surrealistic images were often disturbing representations of her agonized interior and tragic spiritual landscape.

Famed Hollywood photographer of the stars, Nicholas Murray, took dozens of color photographs of Frida. But they were too bright, too much color, poses too staged. Not Frida. The black and white archival pictures and newsreel footage of Frida used in the PBS three -part documentary, Becoming Frida Kahlo, more accurately and affectionately captured the true essence of her natural beauty and mutual love affair with the camera

PBSs three-part documentary, Becoming Frida Kahlo, is an unforgettable portrait of a world renown Mexican artist framed in pain.

Becoming Frida Kahlo can be seen on PBS.org. 

Also highly recommended for viewing, Frida, the excellent 2002 biopic featuring a brilliant Oscar-nominated performance by the wonderful Salma Hayek in the title role. Frida is streaming on MGM+, Amazon Prime Video and other streaming platforms.

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Over the weekend, a Variety reviewer called the film Say a Little Prayer “…a well-intentioned but ordinary Latino Romantic Comedy.” I respectfully disagree with that assessment—and not just on one count, but two.

It’s Anything But Ordinary

Let’s talk about “ordinary.” By definition, ordinary means “with no special or distinctive features; normal.” But there is nothing “normal” about Say a Little Prayer, a rom-com written by Nancy de Los Santos and directed by Patrick Perez. In fact, it breaks new ground as the first English-language romantic comedy centered on U.S. Latinas in over 30 years. That alone makes it extraordinary.

There are very few Latina actresses who have starred in rom-coms over the years. Jennifer Lopez is one of them and she has starred in over eight of them including Maid in Manhattan, The Back-Up Plan, Shotgun Wedding, but those films rarely explored their characters’ heritage or culture. While those characters occasionally had Latina names, their identities were largely incidental to the story. By contrast, Say a Little Prayer is unapologetically rooted in Latina identity, making it a unique entry in the rom-com genre.

A Genre of Its Own

What sets Say a Little Prayer apart is that it’s not a “Latino Romantic Comedy”; it’s a U.S. LATINA Romantic Comedy. That distinction is crucial. The film speaks directly to U.S. Latinas, claiming space in a genre that hasn’t fully embraced their stories. Representation matters, and this movie reminds us why.

It’s clear the film didn’t resonate with the reviewer, and that’s fine. Not every movie is made for everyone. But it’s important to recognize that this film was created with a very specific audience in mind: women, especially Latinas, who love family-centered and relationship-driven stories. Research into rom-com audiences shows that 85% of viewers are women aged 18 to 44, a group that gravitates toward romantic and heartfelt narratives. For these viewers, especially U.S. Latinas, Say a Little Prayer offers a chance of seeing themselves authentically represented on screen is a rare and deeply meaningful experience.

A Love Letter to San Antonio

The reviewer also critiqued the film’s setting, writing, “Every frame in the film could serve as a glossy tourism campaign encouraging viewers to visit the lovely city of San Antonio. Pérez Vidauri and cinematographer Mario Gallegos miss no chance to feature the famous River Walk and other landmarks.”

And the problem is?

San Antonio isn’t just a backdrop; it’s a character in the story. Its vibrant culture, historic landmarks, and scenic beauty make the setting feel authentic and alive. Incorporating these elements only enhances the film’s charm and grounds it in the experiences of many U.S. Latinas while celebrating the beauty of a city that many call home.

Representation Matters

It’s 2025, and it’s about time that U.S. Latinas see themselves in leading roles, especially in non-stereotypical stories about love and self-discovery. As the saying goes, “If you can’t see it, you can’t be it.” For younger generations, films like Say a Little Prayer are vital—they normalize seeing Latinas as complex, relatable, and worthy of center stage.  This isn’t just another rom-com—it’s a celebration of U.S. Latina identity and culture.

A Story Rooted in Real Life

The story behind Say a Little Prayer is as inspiring as the film itself. Screenwriter de Los Santos loosely based the plot on her own experience in her 30s, when her grandmother, concerned that she was still not married, gave her the San Antonio de Pauda prayer, telling her that her “husband was lost and the prayer would help her find him.” That moment sparked a 25-year journey to bring this story to life.

De Los Santos has always been dedicated to telling Latina stories, serving as an associate producer on Mi Familia and Selena with strong Latina characters, and writing Gotta Kick It Up (2002), a Disney Channel TV movie about a Latina-centric school dance team. Say a Little Prayer is the culmination of that passion and determination—a film that celebrates U.S. Latinas and their place in the world of romantic comedies.

Over the weekend, de los Santos attended several opening weekend screenings around L.A. At a Norwalk screening in East L.A. she told the audience, “Realizing that we were not on screen, made me angry. It made me angry that I did not see myself on the screen. So that anger turned into passion,” she said to hoots. “And, a Latina with passion cannot be stopped,” she said to cheers from the audience. “And, a Latina with passion cannot be stopped,” she concluded to thunderous applause.

A Bold Step Forward

Judging from the many sold out screenings at the AMC theaters around the country in New York City, Los Angeles, Miami, San Antonio, Charlotte, Dallas, Houston and several more, the movie definitely captured a specific audience. As of this writing, the box office numbers are not in yet, but one thing is certain, Latinas came out to support. Feeling represented in this film, organizations and individuals organized groups at various theaters and took to social media to have their say.

Say a Little Prayer is far from ordinary—it’s a bold step forward for Latina representation in Hollywood. It’s a film that embraces culture, identity, and love, proving that there’s nothing “normal” about being groundbreaking. For U.S. Latinas and rom-com fans alike, this movie is a much-needed breath of fresh air.

Cast: Vannessa Vasquez, Luis Fonsi, Jackie Cruz, Vivian Lamolli, Angélica María. Produced by: Cristina Nava, Nancy De Los Santos-Reza. Executive producers: Edward James Olmos, Luis Fonsi, Belinda Vela Reyna, Rowland S. Reyna, Dorene Dominguez, Sol Trujilo, Jeff Valdez, Patrick Perez Vidauri. Gil Elbaz.

Distributed by: New Cadence Productions

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Emilia Perez starring Zoe Saldana, Karla Sofia Gascón and Selena Gomez, is a gender-bending, genre-busting, phantasmagorical, operatic, hyper theatrical, electrifying crime and redemption melodrama.

Saldana plays Rita Mora Castro, an attorney tasked with negotiating a sex change operation for Manitas Del Monte, an arch drug cartel criminal . In a dark, unsettling scene, we meet the mobster with Gascón eerily portraying Del Monte in heavy prosthetic make-up.

Del Monte is born again as Emilia Perez. She tries to make up for her previous evil ways by helping  grief-stricken Mexican citizens find loved ones who have disappeared, often at Manitas’ hands. It’s a nice try, but sometimes redemption is a bridge too far.

Emilia Perez is a powerful Latina centric film. Saldana showcases her singing and dancing talents. Gomez, as Jessi, Manitas’ clueless spouse, gives a surprisingly strong and tough performance proving she has the acting chops for more demanding dramatic roles. Gascón shines in the dual role of Manitas and Emilia.

 The three leads, Saldana, Gascón and Gomez all shared a Best Actress Award for their performances in the film at the Cannes Film Festival. They will all get Oscar nominations. Hopefully, they won’t cancel one another out.

Writer / director Jacques Audiard will, no doubt, be considered for an Oscar for Best Director, as well as the movie for Best Picture. Could this, at long last, finally be the year Latinos make their too often overlooked and snubbed presence known at the Academy Awards? Hope so, otherwise the Academy will be on the receiving end of an acid drenched “WTF were you thinking? ¡Fideo Loco! blog from yours truly.

Emilia Perez is streaming on Netflix.
Director: Jacques Audiard
Cast: Karla Sofía Gascón , Zoe Saldana , Selena Gomez , Adriana Paz , Edgar Ramirez
Running time: 2 hr 10 minCast:  

The post REVIEW: ‘Emilia Perez’: Can Changing Your Body Change Your Soul? first appeared on .

Just finished watching House of Spoils. Ariana DeBose gives a solid performance as a driven ambitious chef trying to open a gourmet restaurant in an old house in the woods that just happens to be haunted by a witch who lived there before.

It’s an atmospheric thriller that evokes  Henry James‘ The Turn of the Screw and Tim Burton‘s  Sleepy Hollow.

DeBose’s kitchen is a chaotic nightmare  serving  some  questionable dishes.  After seeing some of the food served, I looked over at my wife and said: “We’re not going to this restaurant. How about  if we stay home and I fix us some migas?”

However, House of Spoils does serves up some tasty scary moments.

Have a great weekend.

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Cueva, who is also the producer of Angel Baby, takes us on a rollercoaster of emotions as she navigates her way through grief and terror. Meanwhile, Val meets a mysterious neighbor (Chris Browning) desperately searching for the truth, and with the help of Maggie, the local bar owner (Rebecca DeMornay), she gains the strength to face what is tormenting her peace, leaving the audience cheering for her in the final act. 

Angel Baby is a film that, though delivering plenty of jump scares and terrifying musical cues, balances cinema horror with the deeper themes of grief and ultimately, acceptance.

Angel Baby is produced by Cueva of Cave Entertainment, and financed by Fearful Pictures. Cueva founded Cave Entertainment to make ground-breaking female-driven films and television shows focused on Latino, indigenous, and underrepresented voices. With the USC Annenberg

Inclusion Initiative report, released in October 2023, revealing that across 16 years, 3.1% of “Produced by” credits went to a Latino or Hispanic individual with “Women” representing less than 1% overall. Less than one-quarter of one percent (<0.25%) of all speaking roles went to Native American characters across the 16 years studied. In fact, the percentage of Native American roles did not exceed 1% across any of the years evaluated. There was only 1 film with a Native actor in the leading role.

Angel Baby is coming to select Theaters in the US and On Demand Dec 15. The film is distributed by Quiver Distribution in North America and Canada. The screenplay is written by Elisa Manzini (I’ll Be Waiting) and Rebecca Stahl (Everything in Between). Whitney Anderson (Holland, Michigan) and Chris Browning (Bright) also star in the film. Cinematographer is Alvaro Martin Blanco, Production Designer is David Hartwell, Composer is Max Di Carlo, Costume Designer is Elaine Lin.

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When an AI Productivity Monitoring Software deems widow Tita (Laura Patalano) no longer fit for work due to her swelling joints, she reluctantly hires an AI humanoid to fill in for her picking strawberries out in the fields. Yet, as model after model breaks down during the arduous labor, it becomes clear that no AI Humanoid the company provides is capable of executing the same back-breaking work. 

Patalano is endearing and just the right amount of tough in her role as Tita, who navigates both a humorous and heartfelt performance. She is surrounded by an equally engaging cast that convinces us that Caballero’s world in the not-too-distant future could very soon be a reality. 

Written by Luis Antonio Aldana & Miguel Angel Caballero, this film was produced by Helena Sardinha and Rafael Thomaseto, presented at the Tribeca Festival and was made as part of Indeed’s Rising Voices program – an initiative set up to discover, invest in and share stories created by BIPOC filmmakers and storytellers, and has qualified to be considered for a 2024 Academy® Award. Rising Voices was created in collaboration with Emmy® Award-winning writer, creator, and actor Lena Waithe, Hillman Grad Productions, Ventureland and 271 Films.

Miguel Angel Caballero (co-writer/director) is the son of Mexican immigrant farm workers and an award-winning Queer Mexican-American/Chicano writer, director, and producer. His short film, ACUITZERAMO, premiered at the Morelia International Film Festival, won 20 awards internationally, and is screening on MAX. Miguel Angel is an Outfest Screenwriting Lab Fellow, Film Independent Project Involve fellow, and the Warner Bros. Discovery 150 Artist Grant recipient. Miguel Angel was one of ten directors selected to participate in the 2022 inaugural Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences Accelerator Program and won the Humanitas New Voices Fellowship. 

STARRING

Laura Patalano

Luis Antonio Aldana

Nico Greetham 

Cheryll Umaña

Rocío Lopez

Geoffrey Rivas

Rafael Cobos Delgado

Juan Alfonso

Elia Saldana

Joan Almedilla

Arlene Santana

Christain Jaime Garcia

Kiara Bletran

David Rodriguez Estrada

PRODUCTION: Indeed, Hillman Grad Productions, 271 Flms

DIRECTOR:  Miguel Angel Caballero

WRITERS: Luis Antonio Aldana, Miguel Angel Caballero

EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Lena Waite, Rishi Rajani, Doménica Castro, Constanza Castro

PRODUCERS: Helena Sardinha, Rafael Thomaseto

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Selected by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences as an Oscar-qualified film, The Kill Floor is an emotional story full of tension, grief, and injustice. Yet, like our collective time in lockdown during the COVID-19 epidemic, the audience is left with the comfort of the most enduring of all human emotions: love. Love for a son, a career, a community, and eventually, self love. 

The film was inspired by the COVID-19 pandemic and the impact on the meatpacking industry and its workers, particularly in the Latino community. Through the character of Gill, Avila focused on the different stories of the workers. He interviewed meatpacking workers, union representatives, activists, and journalists who covered the stories in real time and created a fictionalized version of events capturing the worker experience while exploring important themes of community and father-son relationships.

“In the meatpacking plant workers I spoke with, I recognized people like my family and friends and their dedication to work. I felt that this story of Latino essential workers was important and necessary to tell. Often, these stories are forgotten. I wanted to call attention to what happened.” – Carlos Avila

Latin Heat was able to catch up with director Carlos Avila to talk about his process in writing/producing and directing his short film and why he felt he needed to tell this story.

Latin Heat: Tell us about some of the stories and experiences of the workers in the meatpacking plants. 

Carlos Avila: Although The Kill Floor is a fictional story, it uses as its backdrop the very real crisis in the meatpacking industry during the early days of the pandemic. COVID-19 spread like wildfire through numerous meatpacking plants. It impacted many workers because that industry was either unprepared to deal with the crisis or uninterested in mitigating the risks posed by the virus if it was to slow down production. We were committed to telling this story with humor, emotion, and vivid characterizations. 

LH: Why focus on the Latino community?

Because Latinos are such a big part of the workforce in these plants, the Latino community was heavily impacted by COVID-19. In the research that I did prior to writing, I interviewed meatpacking plant workers and read many accounts of their experiences. The workers that I interviewed in Vernon, California told me about a worker at the plant who went to extremes to hide his symptoms from his co-workers because he was desperate to work so that he could continue to provide for his family. That gentleman eventually died because by the time he got medical attention he couldn’t be saved. Another story I read was about Saul Sanchez, a meatpacking plant worker in Greeley, Colorado. Mr. Sanchez was in his 70s, and he had worked at a plant there for over 30 years. He was one of the first workers to get COVID-19 at the plant. He was admitted to the ICU and put on a ventilator, and eventually he died. A few days before he passed, he told his family to tell the plant management not to be concerned because he would soon be back to work. There’s some of Mr. Sanchez in the The Kill Floor character, Agustin. Working in the meatpacking industry is challenging on any given day, but during COVID-19, it was particularly perilous. 

LH: What was the writing process like for this film?

CA: As I was writing The Kill Floor, it was very clear to me that there was a tremendous responsibility in telling a story like this. I wanted to dramatize and not sensationalize. I steeped myself heavily in the world of the meatpacking plants through interviews, firsthand observation, and research prior to writing the script. I’m a good listener, and I got so much out of the conversations I had with the meatpacking plant workers and union representatives in Vernon, California, the activists in Crete, Nebraska, and the journalists on both the East and West Coasts who covered the story. I integrated details, events, and perspectives with my storytelling instincts to develop a narrative that reflects a true version of what occurred.

LH: Why did you choose to tell the story through both present day scenes and flashbacks? 

CA:The Kill Floor uses flashbacks in order to provide an emotional dimension to our characters. Because [the film] has a short running time of 27 minutes, I knew I had to be economical in providing a context for the relationships.

The flashbacks made sense in terms of storytelling and being able to convey some understanding of the Gil/Agustin relationship. I wanted the flashbacks to resonate when we finally got to the present-day Gil/Agustin scenes.

Some of the settings for the present-day scenes are the same as in the flashbacks, and yet so much has changed in the characters’ lives and in terms of their relationship. I was less interested in using flashbacks for exposition but more in providing emotional depth. 

LH: What did you learn about the Latino spirit and work ethic throughout the making of this film?

CA: One of the stories that impacted me as I read the newspapers and watched the news was the crisis that was unfolding in the meatpacking plants. Given the nature of meat processing industry — people standing in close proximity to each other — COVID-19 spread quickly through those facilities. I knew that many Latinos were working in the poultry plants in the American South, but as I read and researched more, I was impressed to see how many Latinos worked in meatpacking plants throughout the United States. I was moved by these stories that I was reading. 

It seemed like there was a clash between big business and the dedicated Latino work ethic. These corporations wanted to keep operating regardless of the human cost. They even successfully lobbied the former President and his administration to pass an Executive Order so that they would be declared ‘essential businesses.’ This gave these corporations liability protections if workers got sick. In the plant workers I spoke with, I recognized people like my family and friends and their dedication to work. I felt that this story of Latino essential workers was important and necessary to tell. Often, these stories are forgotten. I wanted to call attention to what happened. My goal was to make a film that would resonate with audiences. I also wanted the film to be a ‘witness’ to what happened. 

LH: Where did this story come from?

CA: In the early days of the pandemic, as with so many other people, I was glued to the news. I was wondering whether we were facing the apocalypse or whether the world would make it through the crisis. I started reading about the COVID-19 crisis happening in the meatpacking plants. When I found out how many Latinos worked in these plants and how Latino communities were so heavily impacted, I knew that I needed to tell this story. Now and then, as a filmmaker, you encounter a story that needs to be told. For me, The Kill Floor was one of those stories.

LH: Why is being Oscar Qualifying important for this and other short films? 

CA: Qualifying for the Academy Awards tells me that our film is of significant merit and worthy of playing alongside the other short films that have also qualified this year. It is a wonderful achievement to be in a category that includes important films from all over the world. The hope, of course, is that this additional visibility for The Kill Floor gives much-needed attention to the subject matter of our film and the role of Latino essential workers during the pandemic. 

The post REVIEW: Director Carlos Avila’s Oscar-Qualified Film ‘The Kill Floor’ Is A Love Letter To The Latino Work Ethic first appeared on .

Shura is a compelling short documentary film that transcends its brief runtime to deliver a poignant and inspiring narrative. Co-written, directed and produced by Kayvon Derak Shanian and David Damian Figueroa, this Oscar qualifying film delves into the life of a remarkable woman whose resilience, determination and love for her fellow man can, and does make a difference in the lives of the undocumented, showcasing the profound impact one individual can have on their community and beyond.

The film’s subject, Shura Wallin, who is the co-founder of the humanitarian group The Green Valley/Sahuarita Samaritans, has spent the majority of her life with a handful of volunteers to save lives on the Arizona border. Living about a mile from the Sonoran desert, Shura travels to the border to fill water tanks and patrol migrant trails on both sides of the I-19 corridor offering help to anyone that may cross her path.

Across the Mexican border in Nogales, she works out of the faith-based El Comedor center, serving meals, distributing supplies to people deported from the U.S. and others contemplating the trek north.

The film stays close to its protagonist, offering a glimpse of a day in the life of an advocate who has dedicated the last years of her life to being of service to others. A black belt in Karate, one can see how her years of training have lent a hand in not only the mental fortitude Wallin possesses, but the physical fortitude it takes to trek over hills and valleys to bring supplies to the many migrants crossing the border.

The cinematography is a standout feature, capturing the essence of Shura’s story with visually striking compositions captured, quite refreshingly, on an iPhone 13 . Co-directors’ Figueroa and Shanian’s keen eye for detail and the thoughtful use of imagery, contribute to the emotional impact of the film, enhancing the audience’s connection to the narrative. Furthermore, the pacing of the documentary is expertly handled, ensuring that each moment serves a purpose in advancing Shura’s story. The concise runtime and unorthodox camera choice does not compromise the depth of the narrative but rather enhances its accessibility, making it an ideal candidate for the short documentary category at the Oscars.

At its core, Shura serves as a testament to the power of one person’s dedication to making a difference. Shura’s unwavering commitment to her cause becomes a beacon of hope, illustrating how a single individual can catalyze change and inspire others to join the fight for justice, equality, or whatever cause they hold dear.

CAST and CREW:

Participating as themselves: Shura Wallin, Pastor Randy Mayer , Rita Henninger Danks, Jaime Brusstar, Steve Feldman and Richard Ramirez

Directors / Writers / Producers Kayvon Derak Shanian, David Damian Figueroa

Executive Producer: Pepe Serna

Running Time: 22 Minutes

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