I am a current senior at NYU Tisch School of the Arts studying Film and TV Production and I am currently developing my thesis short film: "Mareas a la deriva", a film about a family that reunites after being separated due to Puerto Rican colonialism, gentrification, and displacement.
No matter what I write, I somehow always end up writing about Puerto Rico. The issues that face my community inspire the stories I tell. Having grown up in Puerto Rico during a prolonged crisis, seeing entire communities displaced by gentrification, pushing many to the US, I’m interested in capturing an experience that I know all too well from both sides. One side that holds resentment and sadness that fosters when a loved one decides to leave, and the other side that holds the desire to stay connected after having made that decision.
I love exploring contemporary Puerto Rico and its people through my art, particularly stories about women, and their imperfect and complex selves and relationships to each other. This piece allows me to do just that.
I have always dreamt of making a film Puerto Rico one day. I am delighted to say that through my thesis I am making this dream a reality with many of the creatives that have inspired me and shaped me as an artist and person, both local student and emerging filmmakers from Puerto Rico, and current students and emerging filmmakers from all over the world that I've met in New York City.
I am excited to show Puerto Rico through my lense, and with that, shed a light to the issues that we are currently facing, and amplify the voices and perspectives of my community, as well as increase representation of Latinx people in media that does not fall into stereotypes nor perpetuate harmful, racist, or sexist tropes.
Learn More: https://www.instagram.com/mareasaladeriva.film/