festival program / Documentary Achievement Award

Paper Children

About

The Sunday, March 8 screening is at RUSH. Tickets for the Saturday, March 14 screening are still available. Learn more about RUSH.

Paper Children explores America's invisible refugee crisis through the eyes of one Miami family who navigate a broken system with unwavering resilience. The Gonzalez parents are working hard on a new start in south Florida to create hope for their four beautiful children, as far away from the frightening gang violence in their native Honduras as possible. Yet the thorny complexities of the US immigration system as they apply for legal status lead to some dispiriting setbacks that once again threaten their sense of security. Through it all, the family members awake to each new day holding on to a loving and optimistic spirit.

Miami native Alexandra Codina's 2010 documentary, Monica & David, established her filmmaker's voice as one of extraordinary sensitivity and empathy. Paper Children enhances this well-deserved reputation, going beyond the traditional immigration narrative into a nuanced consideration of how America cares for the most vulnerable found in its embrace.

Following the March 14, 12:30 pm screening, a panel discussion will be held, moderated by Pamela Silva Conde of Univision’s “Primer Impacto”. Participants include Archbishop Thomas Wenski of Miami, Rebeca Sanchez Roig, member of the Board of Directors of Catholic Legal Services Miami, and filmmaker Alexandra Codina.

This screening is supported by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation and sponsored by FlixLatino and ViendoMovies Available with Xfinity.

Event Dates

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MDC’s Tower Theater Miami 1

MDC’s Tower Theater Miami 1

Director Bio

Alexandra Codina’s debut, Monica & David, premiered on HBO, won Tribeca Film Festival’s Jury Award for Best Documentary, was nominated for an Emmy, and has aired in 33 countries. Alumna of the Sundance Knight Fellowship, Good Pitch, Fledgling Fund, Chicken & Egg Pictures, and Tribeca All Access. Ali is currently producing a feature-doc on a Chinese businessman in Nigeria, by Jialing Zhang, director of One Child Nation.

Cast & Credits

  • Director(s)
    Alexandra Codina
  • Producer(s)
    Alexandra Codina, Susan Margolin, Aymée Cruzalegui
  • Screenwriter(s)
    Lorena Luciano, Alexandra Codina
  • Cinematographer(s)
    Brandon Dumlao, Carlos Andrés Cuervo, Juan Carlos Castañeda
  • Composer
    Laura Karpman

Film Info

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