Mabel Valdiviezo

mabel@haikufilms.org

“La historia de Valdiviezo y de otras mujeres inmigrantes reafirma la conexión entre migración y la salud mental“

–Xotchil Castañeda, Directora de la Iniciativa de Salud de las Américas de UC Berkeley

“Una película totalmente emotiva y poderosa”

–Film Foundation de Berkeley

“Esto es realmente una pieza excepcional de trabajo que capta el interés, hace que tu corazón llegue a Mabel y a su familia, y te permite disfrutar de sus logros, el éxito, y la búsqueda de un cierre positivo a las tragedias familiares de la vida.”

–Adriana Briff, Educador para Estudiantes con Necesidades Especiales

“Esto es realmente una pieza excepcional de trabajo que capta el interés, hace que tu corazón llegue a Mabel y a su familia, y te permite disfrutar de sus logros, el éxito, y la búsqueda de un cierre positivo a las tragedias familiares de la vida.”

–Walter Y Herlita Cato de Sacramento

“Esta película es una parábola de nuestro tiempo, la diáspora de país a país, desde las zonas rurales a la gran ciudad. Es alegre y accesible. El trabajo de cámara está perfectamente hecho, nada ostentoso y muy elegante.”

–Judy de San Francisco

27 de mayo 2015 6:30 pm – 9 pm

Panelista en LAM Inspire: Oportunidad

23 de junio 2015 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm

Pre-estreno en el Décimo Instituto de verano de la Universidad de Berkeley sobre Migración y Salud Global.

Be Latina
“Cómo se sana el dolor de los inmigrantes a través del arte de Mabel ValdiviezoMabel Valdiviezo”

Entrevista en BBC Outlook (tercera historia @ 26:43)

“La antigua punk del Perú, Mabel Valdiviezo, fue en busca de una nueva vida en los Estados Unidos. Pero sin papeles, las cosas no salieron como había esperado, y le llevaron casi dos décadas para encontrar su camino a casa.”

Entrevista CJRadio

“Lo más difícil para un ser humano, vengas de donde vengas, es estar sin familia, sin padres y sin hermanos.”

The Broad Side Bloger Invitada

“Poco después de mi llegada, me convertí en una inmigrante indocumentada con una visa expirada. Desde entonces todo cambió. No tenía derecho a ser, no tenia derecho a existir.”

Agradecemos a toda nuestra comunidad por su maravilloso compromiso y apoyo que hacen posible que se difunda esta película y nuestro mensaje de inspiración.

Desde el fondo de nuestros corazones gracias a todos nuestros increíbles y generosos donantes. Esta película no sería posible de realizar sin cada uno de ustedes.

• Aislinn Scofield
• Amanda Prendegast
• Annie Chan
• Antonio Alta
• Aparna Malladi
• Augusto Chimpen
• Barry Stone
• Brian & Jill Oana
• Briana Russell
• Carla Sanchez
• Carlos Baron
• Celinda Calderon
• Celinda Valeur
• Cesar Viana Teague
• Chelo Alvarez-Stehle
• Chica Ando
• Chip Tolson
• Chris Solberg

• Claudia Barcenas
• David Brown
• David Ritsher
• Diana Fuller
• Doina Ciobanu
• Elizabeth Russell
• Elizabeth Zurrollo
• Elvia Juarez
• Emil Isaksson-Villalobos
• Emmanuelle Antolin
• Erin Ploss Campoamor
• Ester Hernandez
• Eugene Corr
• Flor de Maria Chahua
• France Viana
• Gail Silva
• Gillian & Alf Marcussen
• James Lindsay

• Jed Riffe
• Jessica Sisson
• Joel Benvenuto
• Jonathan Parra
• Justine Jacob
• Kevin Ragsdale
• Kim Aubri
• Kyung Lee
• Lisa Rosenberg
• Lisset Barcellos
• Lorena Manriquez
• Margaret Schulze
• Margie Franco
• Marianne Dolan
• Michael Kabar
• Michael Kerhin
• Milagros Lizarraga
• Milan Melet

• Mimi Zora
• Mitchell Teplitsky
• Nelinda Flueckiger
• Pamela Collett
• Pamela Wei Endrina
• Paola Alta
• Priscila Alegria
• Ray and Joni Pons
• Richard Center
• Samuel Guia
• Serena Jakob
• Stephane Goldsand
• Steven Gowin
• Susan Quintana
• Terry Lam
• Toney Merritt
• Vera Freitag
• Wendy Walker

¡Necesitamos tu apoyo para financiar la post-producción de nuestra película y poder llegar a la meta!

Si prefieres una donación deducible de impuestos, puedes donar aqui.¡Gracias por tu generoso apoyo!

Estamos buscando auspiciadores y socios. Si tienes la capacidad de contribuir financieramente a nuestros esfuerzos estaremos muy agradecidos. ¡Tu nombre aparecerá en los créditos y en los corazones de muchos! ¡Si tienes talento y pasión y deseas asociarse con nosotros, por favor escríbenos!

Próximamente

• Mabel Valdiviezo – Directora & Productora

  Mabel es una premiada cineasta latina indígena, artista multidisciplinaria, y ex alumna de la Conferencia de Productores de Sundance. Su trabajo se centra en la comunidad Latinx y su identidad como artista inmigrante. Mabel tiene más de una década de experiencia produciendo y editando documentales de largometraje, cortos de ficción, y videos de marca para clientes corporativos y sin fines de lucro. Su trabajo abarca desde vérité y piezas basadas en personajes hasta documentales de mirada personal. Ha proyectado su trabajo en todo el mundo, incluyendo PBS, LALIFF y MTV. Ganó el premio Women in Film Emerging Filmmaker Award y su guión, Soledad’s Awakening, fue finalista en el Sundance Screenwriters Lab. Con su documental en progreso Prodigal Daughter, ha recibido apoyo de NALIP Latino Media Market, NALIP Latino Producers Academy y la San Francisco Arts Commission Individual Artist Grant. Mabel es la fundadora de Haiku Films y Arts 4 Healing.

• Maria Zeiss – Editora

  María es una editora y productora nominada al Emmy nacida en Venezuela y radicada en San Diego. Sus principales créditos de edición y premios incluyen Signing Our Way to Freedom (2018), Mejor Documental, Festival de Cine de San Diego; Sands of Silence: Waves of Courage (2017), nominada al Mejor Largometraje Documental en los 32nd Imagen Awards; The Price of Renewal (2006), nominada a Mejor Montaje en Documental, Festival Internacional de Cine de Sacramento, (como parte de la serie de documentales de PBS California and The American Dream); Remaking American Medicine (2006), Premio Cine Golden Eagle por PBS; Piragua, Mejor Documental, IV Festival Nacional de Cine; Ángeles Desterrados, Premio Especial, Festival Internacional de Cine / Video; y Buscando América y Crónica Anónicas, una serie documental para HBO.

• Jorge Vignati – Director de Fotografia (Peru)

  Jorge fué el director de fotografía más célebre trabajando en el Perú de hoy. Él deja un impresionante currículo de trabajo en largometrajes y documentales independientes. Ha rodado más de ochenta documentales en muchos países, entre ellos Nicaragua, Bolivia, Filipinas, Colombia, México, Ecuador, Antártida, Costa Rica, Uganda, Kenia, Senegal y EE.UU. Entre sus muchos logros, Jorge fue asistente de dirección y camarógrafo en Fitzcarraldo de Werner Herzog. Ha rodado para National Geographic, BBC, Travel Channel, Discovery y Paramount.

• Tupac Saavedra – Director de Fotografia (Estados Unidos)

  Tupac es cineasta, camarógrafo y documentalista que divide su tiempo entre su casa natal, Bolivia y Estados Unidos. Tupac recientemente terminó boliviana barroco, un documental de 42 minutos que salió al aire en la televisión europea. Durante las históricas elecciones presidenciales de 2005 en Bolivia, siguió a la campaña de Evo Morales, quien se convirtió en el primer presidente indígena de Bolivia. Su documental premiado, en el camino con Evo, es una mirada cercana a Morales la persona y el político, así como un examen de las condiciones políticas que lo llevaron al poder.

• Guillermo Palacios – Locacion de Sonido

  Guillermo es un sonidista de locación y mezclador de sonido altamente experimentado quien ha trabajado en más de 25 películas peruanas y coproducciones internacionales. En el género documental, Guillermo ha hecho sonido de locación para varios proyectos peruanos, así como para National Geographic, BBC, TV Española, ZDF y NDR en Alemania. Guillermo es el fundador de Perfo Studio, una compañía especializada en sonido en Lima, Perú, donde él es el diseñador y mezclador de sonido de películas. Recientemente, él fue el sonidista de locación y diseñador de sonido de Octubre, una película peruana que ganó el premio Un Certain Regard en el Festival de Cine de Cannes.

• Marilyn Mulford – Productora Consultora

  Marilyn es una premiada cineasta de documentales que produce películas sobre la raza, la diversidad étnica, y el arte para destacar temas políticos y preservar la cultura. Sus créditos como productora incluyen Freedom on my Mind, ganadora del Gran Premio del Jurado al Mejor Documental en el Festival de Cine de Sundance y nominada para un Premio de la Academia a la Mejor Película Documental; Archeology Of Memory: Villa Grimaldi, ganadora del Premio del Público al Mejor Documental en el Festival de Cine de Mill Valley; y Chicano Park, ganadora de Premios de Oro en los Festivales de Houston y Chicago International Film Festival é incluido en la lista de las mejores 100 películas chicanas del Astlan Film Institute.

• Mitch Teplitsky – Productor Consultor

  Mitch es asesor en estrategias educativas y de nuevos medios para la película.
Él ha estado en la vanguardia de las estrategias innovadoras para recaudar fondos, marketing y distribución para cineastas independientes, y además tiene un amplio conocimiento sobre la experiencia peruana en los EE.UU. Mitch es consultor de documentales y marketing, con sede en Nueva York y Lima, Perú. Su documental Soy Andina, sobre Perú, danza e identidad, fue transmitido por la televisión pública de Estados Unidos (Latino Public Broadcasting) en 2009 y 2010.

• Jillian Oana – Participacion Comunitaria

  Jillian basa su trabajo en su previa experiencia en cine, video, recaudación de fondos, publicidad, creación de eventos y marketing integrado para hacer conexiones personales – diseñado para ocupar corazones. Empresas sin fines de lucro, nuevas empresas de tecnología y marcas globales confían en su talento creativo para inspirar el crecimiento en comunidades culturalmente diversas.

   

  • •  

Tal vez fue una tontería pensar que dieciséis años de ausencia, dolor, resentimiento y vergüenza podrían superarse en pocas semanas.



Hija Pródiga cuenta la historia de una cineasta inmigrante indocumentada en California y la reconciliación con su familia peruana después de dieciséis años.

Huyendo de Perú en la década de 1990 para escapar la persecución política, Mabel Valdiviezo sufre experiencias traumatizantes y aislamiento cultural, mientras que su familia sufre en casa. 

Años más tarde, a punto de convertirse en una ciudadana estadounidense, Mabel busca reunirse con sus padres mientras lucha contra una enfermedad que amenaza su vida.

¿Podrá el espíritu de perdón de Mabel, la aceptación de responsabilidad y coraje para enfrentarse a su pasado dejarla recuperar el amor y traer saneamiento para ella y su familia?

 Un documental que ofrece la perspectiva de una mujer en la narrativa inmigrante,
 Hija Pródiga evoca emociones universales, mientras explora las relaciones familiares íntimas.

Mabel Valdiviezo

mabel@haikufilms.org

“Valdiviezo’s story, and those of other immigrant women, reinforces the link between migration and mental health.”
–Xotchil Castañeda, Director, UC Berkeley’s Health Initiative of the Americas

“‘Prodigal Daughter’ is a compelling and insightful story that is both personal and universal, opening the door to conversation about largely unspoken and difficult issues. This film will aid in deepening our understanding of farmworker families’ experiences with mental health, and will strengthen our efforts to compassionately address these issues in our work.”
–Mary Johnson Rockers, MSW, NC DHHS Office of Rural Health and Community Care

“‘Prodigal Daughter’ is a documentary gem that powerfully illustrates a personal migration story, exploring family dynamics, art as therapy, and Peru’s complex history. This film connects with high school students on multiple levels, providing a nuanced, humanizing story about the causes of migration.”
– Jay Waltmunson, Spanish Teacher, Lakeside School, Seattle

“Anyone who teaches in the Latino community should watch ‘Prodigal Daughter’. The film is a wonderful tool to understand the complex process immigrants go through when adapting to a new culture and being a woman beyond stereotypes.”
–Adriana Briff, Educator for Students with Special Needs

“Mabel brings to our doorstep the harsh realities that life can throw at us. While she also offers us the reflective doorway to the compassion-heart of kindness where we can meet the full richness of life while dealing with difficulties.”
–Rik Center, Executive Director, Mindfulness Care Center

FILM FESTIVAL SCREENINGS

Semana del Cine ULima, Peru Premiere, Sunday, November 10 / Wednesday, November 13

Virginia Film Festival, Virginia Premiere, Thursday, October 31st 2024, 7:30 pm, Violet Crown 4

CineMas+ SF Latino Film Festival, San Francisco, Saturday, November 2nd 2024, 2pm. YBCA

Big Eddy Film Festival, Narrowsburg, New York, October 19, 12pm. Tusten Theatre.

CineMas+ SF Latino Film Festival, SF Premiere, Friday, October 11th 2024, 6:30pm. The Roxie Theater 

Seattle Latino Film Festival, Seattle Premiere, Wednesday October 9th 2024, 6:30pm, Lakeside School

CineFest Latino Boston, Boston Premiere, Sunday, September 29th 2024, 3pm.

Middlebury New Filmmakers Film Festival, New England Premiere, Saturday, August 26th 2024, 2pm.

LALIFF, World Premiere, Thursday, May 30th 2024th, 7pm. TCL Chinese Theatre, Hollywood

FILM PROGRAMS & WORK IN PROGRESS SCREENINGS

IDA NAI Direct Access Fund, fellow, 2023

BAVC MediaMaker Connect Mentorship Program, fellow, 2023

Gotham Documentary Feature Lab, fellow, 2022

AXS Film Fund, fellow, 2022

Brown Girls Doc Mafia, Feedback Loop Program, 2022

UC Berkeley’s 10th Summer Institute on Migration and Global Health, work-in-progress screening, 2015

NALIP Producers Academy, fellow, 2013

CBS News “‘Prodigal Daughter’ documentary highlights the emotional toll of being undocumented”

KQED Arts “‘Prodigal Daughter’ Beautifully Illuminates One Woman’s Road Less Traveled”

SF Chronicle “Mabel Valdiviezo makes a soul-stirring journey to reunite with her family in Peru”

Cinencuentro “‘Hija Pródiga’ es uno de los documentales más potentes que he visto en mucho tiempo”

Mission Local “Poignant ‘Prodigal Daughter’ tells a new kind of immigrant tale”

El Tecolote “An immigrant’s reunification joourney kicks off SF Latino Film Festival”

48hills “A ‘Prodigal Daughter’ returns from Merced Heights to Peru”

CALÓ News “‘Prodigal Daughter’ goes beyond the good or bad immigrant story”

Latin Heat “‘Prodigal Daughter’ Fifteen Years in the Making, Makes World Premiere at LALIFF”

Hollywood Flip “‘Prodigal Daughter,’ a heartfelt timely story of an immigrant woman artist”

Deadline
“LALIFF 2024 Lineup with “Prodigal Daughter’”

Deadline
“AXS Film Fund Announces Grants Supporting Nonfiction Creators Of Color With Disabilities”

Deadline
“Ten Nonfiction Projects Announced For Gotham Documentary Feature Lab”

Be Latina
“How Immigrant Pain is Healed Through the Art of Mabel Valdiviezo”

Forbes
“Can A Latina Filmmaker Crowdfund A New Narrative On Immigration?”

The Huffington Post
“How to Reignite Your Personal Power”

ThroughThe Cracks
“Empowering documentary explores migration and mental health”

Expressive Art Workshops
“Mabel Valdiviezo: Empowering women and immigrants through film, story, and art journaling”

Modern Latina
“Prodigal Daughter brings a new perspective to the immigration debate: the mental health challenges shaping immigrant communities today.”

Lupita News
“When your Latina voice tells you: Don’t Die With Your Dreams.”

BBC Outlook Interview (3rd story @ 26:43)
“The former punk from Peru, Mabel Valdiviezo went looking for a new life in the United States. But without papers, things didn’t work out as she had hoped, and it took her nearly two decades to find her way home.”

Women’s Voices KZYX&Z Radio Interview
“Healing through Art & Film”

CJRadio Interview
“I think the hardest thing for a human being no matter where you come from is to be without a family, without your parents and without our siblings.”

It takes a village to make a film! We would like to thank our community supporters for their amazing commitment and support in making it possible to spread our film and inspirational message.

From the bottom of our hearts thank you to all of our incredibly generous supporters. This film would not be without you.

• Aislinn Scofield
• Amanda Prendegast
• Annie Chan
• Antonio Alta
• Aparna Malladi
• Augusto Chimpen
• Barry Stone
• Brian & Jill Oana
• Briana Russell
• Carla Sanchez
• Carlos Baron
• Celinda Calderon
• Celinda Valeur
• Cesar Viana Teague
• Chelo Alvarez-Stehle
• Chica Ando
• Chip Tolson
• Chris Solberg

• Claudia Barcenas
• David Brown
• David Ritsher
• Diana Fuller
• Doina Ciobanu
• Elizabeth Russell
• Elizabeth Zurrollo
• Elvia Juarez
• Emil Isaksson-Villalobos
• Emmanuelle Antolin
• Erin Ploss Campoamor
• Ester Hernandez
• Eugene Corr
• Flor de Maria Chahua
• France Viana
• Gail Silva
• Gillian & Alf Marcussen
• James Lindsay

• Jed Riffe
• Jessica Sisson
• Joel Benvenuto
• Jonathan Parra
• Justine Jacob
• Kevin Ragsdale
• Kim Aubri
• Kyung Lee
• Lisa Rosenberg
• Lisset Barcellos
• Lorena Manriquez
• Margaret Schulze
• Margie Franco
• Marianne Dolan
• Michael Kabar
• Michael Kerhin
• Milagros Lizarraga
• Milan Melet

• Mimi Zora
• Mitchell Teplitsky
• Nelinda Flueckiger
• Pamela Collett
• Pamela Wei Endrina
• Paola Alta
• Priscila Alegria
• Ray and Joni Pons
• Richard Center
• Samuel Guia
• Serena Jakob
• Stephane Goldsand
• Steven Gowin
• Susan Quintana
• Terry Lam
• Toney Merritt
• Vera Freitag
• Wendy Walker

We need your support to get the film ready for distribution, and help us bring the film to our audiences!

For a tax-deductible donation, donate by credit card below or send a check made payable to Filmmakers Collaborative SF to: 145 Ninth St Ste. 310, San Francisco, CA 94103. Please notate the film title “Prodigal Daughter” in the memo.

Thank you for your generous support!

We are looking for partners & sponsors, and an Executive Producer. If you have the ability to contribute financially to our efforts you will be thanked in the credits and in the hearts of many! If you have talents and passion and want to partner with us in some other way, please write to us!

• Mabel Valdiviezo – Producer, Director, Editor

  Mabel is an award-winning Indigenous Latinx filmmaker, multidisciplinary artist, and alumna of the Sundance Producers Conference. Utilizing a poetic vocabulary, her work explores transnational migration, gender equality, mental health, and spirituality. Mabel is a 2022 fellow of the Gotham Documentary Lab and her work has been supported by the San Francisco Arts Commission and the Fleishhacker Foundation. Her film credits include Carlos Baron, Poeta Pan, documentary short, PBS/KQED (director/producer); The Water’s Muse, experimental short (director/producer); Sands of Silence, feature documentary, PBS World (associate producer); River Webs, PBS (feature editor); Women with Altitude, (feature editor). Her narrative short Soledad Is Gone Forever screened at Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival and received the Women in Film Emerging Filmmaker Award. Mabel is the founder of Haiku Films and Arts 4 Healing. Mabel is a member of Brown Girls Doc Mafia, Undocumented Filmmakers Collective, FWD-Doc, and NALIP.

• Sara Maamouri – Co-Producer & Editor

  Sara Maamouri is an Emmy-nominated documentary producer and editor who has explored a diverse range of topics for over 20 years. Her work touches on social, educational, and political issues, from a teacher and students performing under extraordinary circumstances (ITVS funded The Music’s Gonna Get You Through, 2010) to rebuilding a life in a former war zone (Amal’s Garden, 2012). Sara edited and produced We Are Not Princesses (premiered at Doc NYC 2018), and edited and co-produced the Peabody Award-winning film The Judge (premiered at TIFF 2017 and won the Best Bay Area Documentary Feature at SFFILM Festival 2018). A multilingual Tunisian educated in New York and California, Sara brings cultural sensitivity to her editing, production, and story development, creating impact-focused narratives to attract and engage rapidly evolving audiences. Her recent films include Black Mothers Love & Resist (SFIFF 2022), directed by Débora Silva Souza and Clarissa’s Battle (HRWFF NYC 2022), directed by Tamara Perkins and produced by Sara.

• Mario Furloni  – DP (U.S.)

  Mario a Brazilian-born director and cinematographer based in Oakland, California. His feature fiction debut, Freeland, co-directed with Kate McLean, was supported by IFP and SFFILM, and the Kenneth Rainin Foundation. The film, which Furloni also shot,  premiered at SXSW in 2020 and won several awards. He is the cinematographer and co-producer of the critically-acclaimed documentary The Return, nominated for Emmy and Peabody awards. His naturalistic camera work can also be seen in the Oscar-nominated documentary Crip Camp. Furloni has directed a number of  documentary and fiction projects, including Pot Country (USA, 2011), Someone is Happy Somewhere (Brazil, 2016, official selection for San Francisco International Film Festival, and the Havana International Film Festival), Gut Hack (USA 2017, SXSW NYT OpDocs series), and First Friday (USA, 2013, PBS’ AfroPop). He has a master’s degree from the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism.

• Tupac Saavedra – DP (U.S.)

  Tupac is a cinematographer, journalist and documentary filmmaker with a demonstrated history of working in the media production industry. He has produced documentaries and shorts videos for Frontline World, Time/CNN, Yes Magazine, and LPB from Mexico, India, Cuba, Peru, Brazil, and Bolivia. Tupac’s films include The Little Prince of the Andes, premiered at Al Jazeera, Witness, and  Bolivian Baroque, a 42-minute documentary that aired on European television. His award-winning documentary, On The Road With Evo, is a close look at Evo Morales the person and the politician, as well as an examination of the political conditions that brought him into power.

• Jorge Vignati – DP (Peru)

  Jorge was the most celebrated Director of Photography working in contemporary Peru. He left an impressive body of work in feature films and independent documentaries. Jorge shot over eighty documentaries all over the world, including Nicaragua, Bolivia, Philippines, Colombia, Mexico, Ecuador, Antarctica, Costa Rica, Uganda, Kenya, Senegal and the USA. Among his many accomplishments, Jorge was assistant director and cameraman in Werner Herzog’s Fitzcarraldo. He shot for National Geographic, BBC, Travel Channel, Discovery, and Paramount.

• Guillermo Palacios – Location Sound

  Guillermo is a highly experienced location sound person and sound mixer who has worked on over 25 Peruvian films and international co-productions. In the documentary genre, he has been the location sound person for several Peruvian projects as well as for National Geographic, BBC, TV Española, ZDF and NDR in Germany. Guillermo is the founder of Perfo Studio, a sound facility in Lima, Peru, were he is the sound designer and lead sound mixer of feature films. Recently, he was the location sound person and sound designer of October, a Peruvian film that won the Un Certain Regard Jury prize at the Cannes Film Festival.

• Mitch Teplitsky – Consulting Producer

  Mitch advises on audience building, educational & new media strategies for the film. He has been on the forefront of innovative fundraising, marketing and distribution strategies for independent filmmakers, and has extensive knowledge of the Peruvian experience in the U.S. He is a documentary filmmaker and marketing/fundraiser consultant, based in New York City and Lima, Peru. His feature documentary Soy Andina, about Peru, dance and identity, was broadcast on U.S. public television (Latino Public Broadcasting) in 2009 and 2010. Mitch also produced New American Girls, a web series about (Dreamers) undocumented immigrants for LPB.

• Chelo Alvarez-Stehle – Associate Producer & Impact Producer

  As a documentary filmmaker and impact producer, Chelo orchestrated her Through the Wall short and Sands of Silence feature documentary worldwide impact campaigns, including screenings, Q&A and panels around the world from Sidney to Tijuana; universities from Yale to Oxford to Buenos Aires and Hiroshima; women’s rights, human rights ,and immigrant rights organizations; and the United Nations. Chelo worked as an impact producer for Nasrin, on the jailed Iranian human rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh, taking it to the European Parliament, and to millions of Arab and Iranian households. She is the lead impact producer for From Here, on immigration, and racism (The WORLD Channel/America Reframed) and impact consultant for Storming Caesars Palace on universal basic income, (Independent Lens), helping bring the film to Capitol Hill ahead of the midterm elections.

Director’s Statement

Personal documentary filmmaking is a site of redress. I seek to subvert the mainstream depiction of immigrant women as victims, heroes, and threats, and instead focus on the agency and resilience of everyday migrant workers.

Art has always been my refuge. Filming and painting my story has helped me to make sense of my journey and heal the bonds with my family and the broken parts inside me. Artistically unifying the film over the course of the story, the artwork becomes a vehicle for empowerment. Vibrant and intimate in execution, it provides the viewer with a sense of the courage that immigrants carry despite the social forces that pull them apart.

My journey might be unique in its particulars, but its essence is shared by millions of Latina and other immigrant women who have been separated from their families in their struggle to seek out a better life, pursue a life of meaning and purpose, or simply to support their own families.

By exploring these issues through an intimate yet transnational lens, Prodigal Daughter will offer a space for reflection, dialogue, and community healing, building bridges of understanding among immigrant women, families, advocates, educators, and policymakers.

Continue reading →

Filmmaker and former punk artist Mabel Valdiviezo reunites with her family in Peru after 16 years of silence, confronting haunting childhood memories and a troubled past as an undocumented immigrant in the United States. 

Offering intimate access to the artist and her vibrant photo-paintings of the family, Prodigal Daughter is a cinematic exploration of family bonds, identity, belonging, and the transformative power of art through the narrative of human rights, gender, and immigration.