In 1993 punk artist Mabel Valdiviezo flees from war-torn Peru to San Francisco, CA on a tourist visa. Soon she goes from tourist to “undocumented”, living on the fringes of society, struggling to build a life. Being the artist that she is, she documented her struggles through photographic self-portraits, drawings, collages, and visual diaries. Fifteen years later, her documentary Prodigal Daughter makes its world premiere at the Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival on Thursday, May 30th, 7:00 PM @TCL Chinese Theatre – Cinema 3

Director and producer, Valdiviezo is an award-winning documentary filmmaker whose work explores migration, gender equality, and healing justice. Prodigal Daughter  follows the filmmaker/artist on a poignant journey to reunite with her family in Peru after 16 years of silence.  Through Mabel’s personal story, the film reveals the struggles of immigrant women living without a safety net, exploring their challenges in staying connected with their families left behind. 

The film weaves vérité scenes with family photos that Valdiviezo transforms into vibrant mixed media “photo-paintings” to convey her emotional separation from her family and her longing for reconnection. Peruvian underground punk art blends with playful stop-motion animations, bringing to life her youth during Peru’s tumultuous 80s. 

“In this current climate, it is crucial to craft narratives that offer multifaceted portrayals of immigrant lives that mirror the richness of our communities,” Valdiviezo said.  She  emphasizes the importance of challenging the mainstream stereotypical depiction of immigrants.

Valdiviezo’s production company Haiku Films is focused on producing compelling documentaries that explore pressing issues of our times, utilizing community storytelling as a catalyst for cultural change. 

Valdiviezo plans to grow a robust social impact campaign and partner with immigrant and women organizations, to bring the film to community centers, schools, broadcast, and online audiences. 

For ticket information:  bit.ly/3JZeLiT

“Prodigal Daughter” visit prodigaldaughterthemovie.com.

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