Fruits of Labor by Emily Cohen-Ibáñez
The Full Frame Documentary Film Festival has announced the lineup for its 24th edition, which will take place virtually between June 2-6, 2021, screening 36 titles from 21 countries, including four U.S. Latinx titles: Águilas by Kristy Guevara-Flanagan, The Facility by Seth Freed Wessler, Fruits of Labor by Emily Cohen Ibáñez, and My Neighbor, Miguel by Danny Navarro.
Guevara-Flanagan’s Águilas, follows the members of Águilas del Desierto, or the Eagles of the Desert, who once a month endure the scorching Arizona heat to search for migrants who have braved the journey across the border but are now missing. Made up of mostly Latino volunteers, the Águilas set out to either rescue the lost or recover their remains to bring peace to families who have no idea what has happened to their loved ones.
In the harrowing documentary short The Facility, told mostly through video chat and news footage, investigative reporter Seth Freed Wessler shares the stories of immigrants at a Georgia ICE detention center during the COVID-19 pandemic. The detainees struggle to fight back against inhumane treatment and dangerous conditions until one of the center’s nurses blows the whistle and their plight becomes national news.
Cohen Ibáñez’s Fruits of Labor is a layered portrait of Ashley—a curious, introspective teen—moments of magical realism offer dreamy, vivid interludes of self-reflection to reveal how Ashley blossoms into her full self as she works multiple jobs to help support her family, navigates the increased threat of ICE raids, and tries to graduate from high school.
In the short film My Neighbor, Miguel, San Francisco filmmaker Danny Navarro creates an affectionate portrait of his eccentric and exuberant neighbor, Miguel, whose house is filled with an accumulation of recycled objects that he turns into brilliant costumes and sculptures. As Miguel shares his art, he reflects on his life and a community coming together at the height of the AIDS epidemic.
Full Frame is an internationally recognized, Academy Award qualifying event that proudly presents the best of nonfiction films on the festival circuit each year. Based in Durham, North Carolina, the annual festival gathers thousands of enthusiastic fans from around the globe to celebrate the documentary art form, engage in meaningful conversation, and experience the impact of exceptional nonfiction cinema firsthand. The festival is a program of the Center for Documentary Studies, a nonprofit affiliated with Duke University.
