AMERICA’S FAMILY movie premiere at the Consulate General of Mexico

Last night at the Consulate General of Mexico in Los Angeles, was a fascinating, heartfelt, and emotional special advance screening of filmmaker Anike Tourse’s and production company CHIRLA Liberty Film’s debut feature of “AMERICA’S FAMILY” that was preceded by an introduction from the Acting Consul of Mexico: Gustavo Martinez Cianca.  Then it was followed by a Q&A :The panel moderator was Oswaldo Borraez (see above photo) the senior investigate reporter for Univision 34, with Writer/Director/Actress Anike Tourse, journalist Pilar Marrero (@pilarin28.) Immigration Attorney Jessica Dominguez, the Coalition of Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA) Executive Director Angelica Salas:  and concluded with a reception attended by Power 106 (KPWR-FM) radio host Melissa Rios, Acapulco actresses Carolina Moreno and Camila Perez. In the below photo: Actor Ricardo Cisneros, Writer/Director/Actress Anike Tourse, journalist Pilar Marrero (@pilarin28.), Immigration Attorney Jessica Dominguez, and The panel moderator Oswaldo Borraez. Photo credit: CHIRLA Digital Media Manager, Felipe Chacon: This film had played before Congress in DC, and it was an honor to see it here on the West Coast in the heart of Los Angeles where some of the exact same locations were used in this movie. In fact the scene in Lafayette Park was right across the street from the Consulate General of Mexico- where I viewed this film- and in fact it is only about 3 blocks from our office building on Wilshire Blvd! So it was a funny coincidence that this movie screening was so close by our TV Show office building, and is the third closest event to us ever! The 2nd closest event to our office was the The Vagabond/Hayworth Theater, and next door La Fonda on Wilshire Restaurant and Nightclub: where we went once for another movie premiere and party as part of the Downtown Film Festival- which is only 2 blocks away; and the closest event to us was the Los Angeles Marathon- when their racing route used to be literally right outside our doors– on the street right in front of our office building at 2966 Wilshire Blvd. So from our 2nd floor office balcony we can watch the whole race, and from our 1st floor office: we gave all of the 25,000 runners water and Gatorade, as we were one of the official water stations for the LA Marathon!

This is a female-directed (and written and starring) docudrama: “America’s Family” derived from true stories, about a cascade of misfortune and challenges that visit a typical American immigrant family following an ICE raid on their home, and how each family member copes.

 

This fascinating story starts out when ICE raids the Diaz home on Thanksgiving Day, the family is ripped apart. Mother Marisol is arrested and detained, father Jorge is forced to seek refuge in a synagogue, and eldest son Koke is deported. In the below photo you can see the actor: Ricardo Cisneros that played Koke Diaz with me on the right during the after-party:  This heartbreaking drama is about a close and loving family that is separated by deportation, and is united together again by the heroic work of their middle son Emiliano- played by: Emmanuel López Alonso, who in his role as an Attorney was an underdog with very little legal experience, but ends up pulling off a miracle in the court systems; and the family’s youngest daughter Valentina- played by Jailene Arias- putting together a big public protest March and successful Social Media campaign that shows the world how they are being mistreated by the Governments, law enforcement, and all the legal systems! So with strong family bonds, and great love and faith throughout this crisis this family fought the system and won!  America’s Family is co-produced by CHIRLA–the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights(see above photo) which is the largest immigrant rights organization in California. https://www.chirla.org. This film is now available on all VOD platforms, so see this great movie as soon as you can: