La Americana at the Courthouse Center for the Arts! Click Here to find out more about this event.

Related Press: Review: Cinematic Stories from Latin America Elucidate Common Ground

By Jonathan Beebe/Special to the Independent

Excerpt:

WEST KINGSTON - In this month’s R.I. International Film Festival encore series, the Courthouse Center for the Arts gives us three films hailing from Latin America. Although language is the only feature holding these selections together, all three films are strong in their own right, with one of them being my favorite from this past year’s RIIFF program.

The centerpiece of the evening is the 65-minute documentary, “La Americana,” directed by Nicholas Bruckman and co-directed by John Mattiuzzi. The film follows more than a year in the life of Maria del Carmen Rojas, a single mother trying to make ends meet in New York City. Of course, if that was all that was going on in Carmen’s life, the film wouldn’t hold interest for very long. What makes her unique is the fact that her daughter, Carla, is living with her mother in Bolivia and Carmen is living and working as an illegal alien. What’s effective about the film is the way it not only gives this neglected woman a voice, but also shows just how common her story is for many struggling in the US.  Click Here to Read Entire Article

Screening Details

• Date: Tuesday, June 16th 2009
• City: La Americana, A Documentary (Screenings)in West Kingston, Rhode Island
• Venue: Rhode Island Film Festival: The Courthouse Center for the Arts
• Country: US

” This film puts a human face on many ethical issues tied to a failing health care system at the global level, and so it is a very valuable resource that is bound to stimulate a lot of thought and discussion among college students and professionals alike…”

“The film is a valuable resource for every U.S. citizen, and especially those who are in the position of making policy decisions about health care access and immigration…”

Click Here to Read Entire Article:  BioEthical Journal - La Americana Review (PDF)

La Americana Educational DVD is the # 1 Selling DVD at Cinema Guild! Thanks to everyone for their continued support!

Click Here to find out more or order your copy today!

The La Americana Organizer’s Screening kicked off a discussion with key community organizers in the New York area!

Among the organizations in attendance were:

NYCLU
NICE
Make the Road New York
Queens Community House
Center of Cultures

La Americana will broadcast all next week on VPRO/Holland Doc in the Netherlands and much of Belgium!

Screening Times (Central European Time):

• Saturday, May 9, (11.00 & 19.30)
• Sunday, May 10, (13.50 & 23.45)
• Monday, May 11, (10.15 & 19.45)
• Tuesday, May 12, (15.35)
• Wednesday, May 13, (11.45 & 21.30)
• Thursday, May 14, (07.15 & 17.00)
• Friday, May 15, (14.00)

Our kick-off outreach screening begins at the Avon Theater in Stamford, CT.

Stamford, CT, Avon Theater
April 22nd at 7:30 PM
Co-Sponsored by CRISOL and The Stamford Sponsorship

The event will be followed with a panel on the movement for immigration reform by Director, Nicholas Bruckman and immigration attorney Philip Berns.

CLICK HERE to find out more!

La Americana is going to the LASA 2009 Film Festival - June 11-14, 2009

“The Festival and Exhibit focuses on films with content related to Latin America in all of its aspects: history, peoples, economy, current issues, debates, arts, politics, etc. Films come from all over the globe, and they all have in common that Latin America is their focus.”

CLICK HERE for the LASA 2009 Film Festival Program (PDF)

Screening Details

• Date: Saturday, June 13th 2009
• City: La Americana, A Documentary (Screenings)in Rio de Janeiro
• Venue: LASA 2009 Film Festival
• Country: BR

When: Saturday April 18, 2009 at 12:30pm; Sunday April 19, 2009 at 1:00pm

Where: The NEW Salem Cinema on Broadway & Market NE (Salem, Oregon)

Click Here to Check out the Schedule

About the 2009 Salem Film Festival:

“The 2009 SALEM FILM FESTIVAL will take its cue from last year’s remarkable line-up of films and filmmakers to dazzle yet again, but with a TEN-DAY supply of the fresh, the fantastic and the first-rate! We have enthusiastically schemed and plotted another whirlwind of cinematic energy and emotion, of vitality and passion, of diversity and diversion, all to be splashed across the screen before your very eyes. When the lights have dimmed, prepare to be spirited away by the magic of the movies…”

Click Here to find out more!

Dora Leticia joins La Americana as the Campaign Director

We would like to welcome her to La Americana and People’s Television!

Dora Leticia is of mexican descent, whose parents immigrated to the United States in the late 60’s.

She is an independent documentary photographer and artist, currently residing in New York. She has photographed extensively in the United States, Mexico, Guatemala and Chile, capturing the essence of the human struggle. She is also the Founder of Lens Ethics.

She is committed to this project because she supports immigration reform and like the film’s Director, does not believe in the borders (of any kind) that divide us.

About her new role with La Americana, Dora Leticia said:

“I tend to be drawn towards attitudes that are geared towards humanity, globalization and a sense of responsibility to the global communities that bind us. Having that in common with the staff pretty much sealed the deal. It takes a special kind of film to tackle this issue in the way that La Americana has. It is a great documentary and I can relate to the experiences depicted in the film. Not because I am an undocumented immigrant, I am not, I was born in the U.S. But, my parents had similar hardships. And being a witness to that all of my life…well, how can you not get involved in some way? The stories of immigrants…they all seem to be connected in a universal way. The film captures the true essence of what it is like for many. The stories may be different, but, the nature of the experience, the struggle…it feels we are all pulling on the same string…trying to make a better life. It’s not just an immigrant thing, it’s the stuff of human beings. Bringing these experiences to light is essential to our progress as human beings in our efforts to get it right. I am honored to be a part of that.”