Episode 31 - Brenda Avila-Hanna - “Pueblos”
Photo Credit: Craig Hanna
[image Description: Brenda is pictured from the chest up and has black shoulder length and light brown skin. She wears a dark green tank top and a necklace with a multi-colored star charm. She stands before a background filled with green foliage and bright pink flowers.]
In this episode, I speak with Mexican filmmaker and Co-Director of Video Consortium Mexico, Brenda Avila-Hanna. During our conversation, we chat about her latest feature project Libertad, the professional needs of Mexican content creators outside of urban strongholds such as Mexico City, the immigration conversation that’s happening or actually not happening in Mexico, and the educational distribution co-op New Days Films. The song for this week’s episode is PUEBLOS, by Lila Downs and Sara Currichich. The song speaks about Indigenous solidarity and strength without borders. Currichich is Guatemalan and Downs is Mexican-American with roots in Oaxaca, which feels particularly resonant to Libertad and many other themes of transnational solidarity addressed throughout the episode. As a plus, one of Libertad's Producers and DP's, Casandra Casasola, is the DP for the video to this song. Casandra is a Mexican, Indigenous (Mixteca) filmmaker.
Episode 23 - Robert Y. Chang - “Tightrope”
Photo Credit: Kenneth Pizzo
[Image Description: Robert is pictured from the chest up against a white background. He wears a black suit jacket and a button-down white shirt. His hair is cut short.]
In this episode, I speak with Coordinating Producer at American Documentary/America Reframed, Robert Chang. During our conversation we chat about his Ph.D. in cultural anthropology, America ReFramed’s new season, navigating documentary in the soon-to-be post-COVID world, and get a lesson on how PBS works locally and nationally. Because keeping one’s balance in the documentary world and life is one of the keys to creativity, this week’s song is Janelle Monáe’s “Tightrope".”
Episode 14 - Set Hernandez Rongkilyo - “A Thousand More”
[Image Description: Set is pictured from the torso up. They have a beard and wear glasses and a red shirt. The shirt has black text that reads “I AM UNDOCUMENTED.” The background is out of focus.]
In this episode, I speak with filmmaker and co-founder of the Undocumented Filmmakers Collective, Set Hernandez Rongkilyo. In our conversation, we discuss their filmography the ways undocumented filmmakers are demanding authorship and agency in the telling of their stories. Because Set is a very proud Pilipino/Bicolano, this week’s song is Love, Anthony, & Maya’s “A Thousand More” from the album Rock the Mic for Human Rights in the Philippines: Stop the Killings.