Month of April, 2008

Two weeks ago we screened Made in L.A. at the Paris International Human Rights Film Festival, and Robert and I were both lucky enough to be able to attend. I had lived in Paris for a year when I was a senior at University, and it was a nice reencounter with the city - which is not the city of light, but rather the city of rain! Besides the vagaries of the city itself, it was just an incredible experience to screen the film in Paris and to see so many moved to tears.

Europe is indeed experiencing many of the issues reflected in Made in L.A., and I was shocked to learn recently about the scandal in Italy where they found Chinese immigrants working for no money in underground, illegal shops in Tuscany that produced cheap bags and shoes bearing fraudulent Prada, Fendi and Nike insignia (read the LA Times story here). But as we were reminded by the audience, garment shops and other businesses that rely on low wage immigrant labor are everywhere, and I wonder how long it'll be before there is another big "sweatshop" scandal, this time in Paris, Madrid or Berlin.

People coming into the theater in the neighborhood of Saint Michel in Paris

On the brighter side, we were amazed to see, once again, that the film is able to resonate in other countries and that our little story about Lupe, Maria and Maura is able to convey a universal truth about the dignity of the human spirit, which knows no borders and certainly no boundaries.

To listen to a great radio interview in Radio France International (in French), click here.

Last weekend at the Voces Contra el Silencio Film Festival in Mexico City, Made in L.A. was awarded the prestigious Ecumenical Jury Prize (SIGNIS) in the category of Fronteras, Migraciones y Exilios (Borders, Migrations and Exiles).

SIGNIS, the World Catholic Association for Communication, is a non-governmental organization that includes members from 140 countries: professionals in radio, television, cinema, video, media education, Internet, and new technology. Each year, SIGNIS organizes Ecumenical or Interfaith Juries at more than 30 prominent Film Festivals around the world, including Cannes, Berlin, Locarno and Venice.