Ellas: Mujeres en la música

Puerto Rico, the last relic of colonization in the western hemisphere, has been a dependent territory of the USA since 1917. Los Macheteros and one of its leaders Juan Segarra have been fighting for its full independence for many decades.

A reflection Puerto Rican’s initial reaction to the aftermath of hurricane Maria captured through interviews filmed two months into the chaos and footage gathered from people’s phones, cameras, and any form of recording.

After a run-in with local thugs, aspiring Harlem rapper Rob flees to a place and father he never knew, and finds his salvation in Reggaeton, a spicy blend of hip-hop, reggae and Latin beats. Puerto Rico, the spiritual home of Reggaeton, inspires Rob and his step-brother Javi to pursue their dream of becoming Reggaeton stars. Together with a dancer named C.C., they learn what it means to stay true to themselves and each other, while overcoming obstacles in love, greed and pride, all culminating in an explosive performance at New York’s Puerto Rican Day Parade.

Documentary on the mass sterilization of Puerto Rican women during the 1950s and '60s.

A night in the life of a cab driver in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Legendary singer Daniel Santos lives in Ocala, Florida, and prepares his biography with Secre, a young journalist. The memory of past glories makes him embark on one more adventure: a tour of South American countries where he was known as “El Jefe” (The Chief) and where he expects to be yet again acclaimed and applauded.

A close look at Puerto Rico's unique relationship with the United States.

We Are Still Here is a student-made documentary from the University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez campus (UPRM) about the lives and experiences of the Peñolanos from Barrio Rucio and adjacent communities who have resisted generations of adversities due to their geographical location and at the hands of the Puerto Rican government. Centered on resistance and collective care among communities, this inaugural documentary produced by the Oral History Lab at UPRM and funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities showcases how community work by projects like Aula en la Montaña and organizations like Impacto Juventud GC Inc. demonstrate that strength lies in union and that true healing occurs through mutual accompaniment between community and volunteers.

Hurricane María abated, the news crews packed up and left Puerto Rico, and the interest of the international community turned elsewhere. What happened next?

A poetic journey about the life and work of Puerto Rican poet Julia de Burgos.

Presents a socio-economic analysis of present day Puerto Rico. Uses archival footage, re-enactments of historic events, and interviews with participants to recount the long history of U.S. involvement in Puerto Rico and the anti-colonial struggle.

Strong Puerto Rican women forced to flee the island after Hurricane Maria have bonded like family in a FEMA hotel in the Bronx. They seek stability in their new life as forces try to pull them apart.

Explores concerns about uterine cancer and the value of the Pap Test in detecting this serious type of cancer.

“El Apagón: Aquí Vive Gente” is a documentary directed by Bad Bunny and Blanca Graulau. This 23-minute film explores the socio-economic challenges in Puerto Rico, focusing on the effects of power outages and gentrification driven by the real estate and energy sectors. Through visuals and personal stories, the documentary highlights the experiences of Puerto Rican communities facing these issues.

In San Juan, Puerto Rico, hundreds of artists gathered to pay honor to the work of Puerto Rican artist Myrna Báez. La otra intención (The Other Intention) is an observational documentary that travels through the work of Myrna while visiting artists, such as Petra Bravo, Deborah Hunt, Yiyo Tirado, Gustavo Castrodad, the theater group Y no había luz, among others, to accompany them in their creative process of re-interpretation.

Immigrant residents of a “shift-bed” apartment in the heart of New York City’s Chinatown share their stories of personal and political upheaval. As the bed transforms into a stage, the film reveals the collective history of the Chinese in the United States through conversations, autobiographical monologues, and theatrical movement pieces. Shot in the kitchens, bedrooms, wedding halls, cafés, and mahjong parlors of Chinatown, this provocative hybrid documentary addresses issues of privacy, intimacy, and urban life.

PsiQuis: Un Giro Decolonial is a documentary that presents and discusses the psychological impact that colonialism has had on the Puerto Rican people. The director analyzes the traumas generated in Puerto Rican society by that colonial experience.

A short film about the first Bomba Ancestral returning to the ocean at sunset. Organized by Sheila Osorio and Samuel Lind in Loíza, Puerto Rico where the river meets the sea. We gathered on the beach. The moon was full and we could feel the connection to the four elements. The FIRE that purifies, WATER, AIR and EARTH. Honoring all of our ancestors from whom we inherited this beautiful dance of Bomba.

Nuestra Isla Nuestro Encanto

Through dramatization and interviews with her colleagues, this film captures the life and work of famed Puerto Rican poet Mercedes Negrón Muñoz (also known as Clara Lair).