DocuSlate Day 1

NewFilmmakers Los Angeles (NFMLA) presents its annual line-up DocuSlate documentary program, spotlighting documentary filmmakers and stories from around the world with a selection of features and short documentaries across six programs, beginning on Friday evening and continuing on Sunday afternoon.

DocuSlate begins on Friday evening with the Los Angeles premiere of STREET SMART: Lessons from a TV Icon from director and Emmy-nominated TV writer Ernie Bustamante. STREET SMART is a behind-the-scenes look and cultural analysis of how Sonia Manzano became the beloved and groundbreaking “Maria” on Sesame Street, the first Latina with a regular role on American TV, and the impact her career had on millions of children. “Sonia Manzano is truly a pioneer. I made this film to reveal the person behind the character, to cement her place as an American icon, and to remind us why representation still matters,” says Bustamante.

Friday night closes with the Los Angeles premiere of Moses, the heartfelt and remarkable story of one man’s life on the streets of San Francisco, filmed over the course of fifteen years by award-winning director Francisco Guijarro. “Being homeless is being behind the fog, you are invisible. People don’t see who you really are because they just see a category. But homelessness is not your identity and you need to show that,” Moses told Guijarro, and the director delivered.

Sunday’s programming begins with DocuSlate Shorts I, a collection of short documentaries about innovation, talent, ways of life, pivotal life moments, and scientific discovery. This block will introduce us to a mechanical engineering genius, a groundbreaking musician, take us inside a day in the life of a domestic worker in South Africa who has worked for the same family for decades, a non-binary Diné shepherd and weaver, tell us the stories of a child’s fateful wartime survival in West Africa and the tale of the scientists who discovered lesbian seagulls.

The afternoon continues with Loulwa Khoury’s timely portrait of the Lebanese diaspora, We Never Left, in its Los Angeles Premiere. Caught between the revolution in their homeland and their lives in New York, this film offers and intimate perspective on Lebanon’s young people, their courage, and their fight for a better future. “It’s important for me to shed light on what’s happening in my country and tell the story of my people but it’s also cathartic for me and the protagonists to talk about this constant duality in our lives. We found each other through these circumstances and our relationships grew since then, finding common grounds to fight for,” says Khoury.

Next, the line-up presents DocuSlate Shorts II, a selection of compelling short documentaries highlighting important and urgent issues, the growing political divide, and the work of activists past and present. These films capture stories about immigration, higher education, Black representation, the fight against domestic violence and the political divide between nighbors.

The evening concludes with the Los Angeles premiere of Encuerados by Orlando Bedolla. Bedolla originally shared the short version of this film at NFMLA, and NFMLA is proud to have him and his team back with the feature-length project, which documents Latino men in the leather scene in Los Angeles and offers a thoughtful and personal look at this sub-culture.

NFMLA showcases films by filmmakers of all backgrounds throughout the year, across both our general and InFocus programming. All filmmakers are welcome and encouraged to submit their projects for consideration for upcoming NFMLA Festivals, regardless of the schedule for InFocus programming, which celebrates representation by spotlighting various communities of filmmakers as part of the NFMLA Monthly Film Festival. This project is made possible in part by grant support from the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs (DCA), and the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA).

The South Park Center is an ADA compliant venue and is wheelchair accessible. We request captioned films from all filmmakers participating at our Festival. For any accessibility needs, please send a request to info@nfmla.org at least 72 hours prior to the event.