KICK-OFF COMMUNITY SCREENING IN CHELSEA

• Open Your Heart: Immigrant Stories
  from Boston and Beyond
  Directed by Jesse Ericka Epstein
  Documentary, 18 mins, USA, 2024
  Open Your Heart is about a group of young people from the youth nonprofit, ZUMIX, who embark on a creative, year-long research and performance project about immigrant stories. The film traces their journey, from interviewing 7 immigrant activists from East Boston to performing their stories with professional Latinx actors in a live staged production at Boston City Hall Plaza in 2023. Touching, powerful and inspiring, Open Your Heart demonstrates the power of community, support and love, as the youth discover and are inspired by the resilience of immigrants in their community, despite the challenges they face.

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• Canta Santiago
  Directed by James Valdez
  Narrative, 11 mins, USA, 2023
  A young mariachi faces his first performance alone but discovers his brother has always been by his side.

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• Raising the Floor
  Directed by Sabrina Avilés
  Documentary, 30 mins, USA, 2022
  In 2020 a global pandemic sent the majority Latinx city of Chelsea, Massachusetts spiraling into chaos. Frontline workers risked their lives to help others, while City leaders came together in a desperate moment with a simple but inspired idea.

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Q&A with the filmmakers