DRILLS OF LIBERATION - After experiencing a ten-year economic crisis, and facing the perils of climate change, the Puerto Rican youth does not trust the State anymore. They take to the streets to demand accountability from the government, and organize autonomous community centers to ensure their survival as People of Puerto Rico. In this epic documentary, young Puerto Ricans craft their path to liberation, as we see the faces of survival and resistance. This film has an unique point of view from inside Puerto Rican social movements. The director captures a series of major historical events as they unfolded right at the frontlines, including the protests against a U.S.-appointed Control Board, the aftermath of hurricane María, and the notorious Summer of 2019. (120 min, Puerto Rico, 2021, Director: Juan C. Dávila Santiago) + Director Q&A
Short to precede:
MAKING THE IMPOSSIBLE POSSIBLE: THE STORY OF PUERTO RICAN STUDIES AT BROOKLYN COLLEGE - The story of the student led struggle to win Puerto Rican Studies at Brooklyn College, CUNY, in the late 1960's. This documentary is a mosaic of voices, film footage, and photographs taken by student activists, featuring the music of Grammy award-winning musicians Arturo O’Farrill and Oscar Hernández. This important story highlights the powerful alliance that Puerto Rican, African American, and other progressive students and faculty forged that changed the face of higher education with the founding of one of the first Puerto Rican Studies departments in the nation. (33 min, 2021, Directors: Tami Gold, Pam Sporn) + Director Q&A