TAMIU Faculty Member's Film Gets Best Documentary Nod at NYC Festival

Texas A&M International University visiting assistant professor of communication Marcela Moran is a winner.  Her film, “Casa del Migrante,” received the “Best Documentary” Award at the New York City Downtown Short Film Festival last week.

The documentary includes first-hand accounts of the migrants' plights as they travel to the US-México border and was shot entirely in Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, México.

Moran said she is honored to have her work awarded.

“It’s not the sort of thing that you set out to seek when you undertake such a project, but it’s truly an honor to be accorded this award. I hope it encourages others to pursue the subject area and medium,” she said.

She said she believes that one of the roles of a documentary filmmaker is to be a “voice for the voiceless.”

“One of the most important roles of independent films has been to give a voice to people and issues not usually explored in mainstream movies. ‘Casa Del Migrante’ essentially gives voice to the migrants who have no voice in their own countries, who are violated during their travels through México and, should they ever make it to the US, continue to live in fear of deportation. This documentary is particularly relevant during the current national debate on immigration reform. For the first time, illegal immigrants are participating in protests and demonstrations, arguing for their rights as human beings,” she said.

Moran and her sister, Alejandra, produced the film. Moran edited the selection with production crew members including TAMIU student Fernando Silva and Nuevo Laredo residents Javier Peña and Shere Pingel.

She is currently scheduling a showing of “Casa del Migrante” for the near future. 

For more information, contact Moran at TAMIU at 326.3047 or e-mail amoran@tamiu.edu

Information on New York City Downtown Short Film Festival is available at: www.duotheater.org/

Journalists who need additional information or help with media requests and interviews should contact the Office of Public Relations, Marketing and Information Services at prmis@tamiu.edu