BDC Films Fellowship

BDC Films Fellowship
Screening + Q&A


Saturday

Jun 29, 2024 | 5pm

Join us for a special screening featuring documentary shorts created by filmmakers in the BDC Films Fellowship Program, a course that seeks to empower and support traditionally underrepresented documentary filmmakers who are interested in pursuing film.

This year’s fellows presenting their work are Amber Alesawy, Cacau Araujo, Jordana Bermúdez, Cayla Clements, Joshua Guerra, and Lorena Nicole Vicente.

The Long Haul by Amber Alesawy 
The South Bronx, known as "Asthma Alley" due to high asthma rates (1 in 4 children), suffers from severe pollution caused by numerous warehouses and constant truck traffic in residential areas. Despite community opposition, city policies continue to support warehouse growth. The Long Haul documents this ongoing struggle and the efforts of community organizations for environmental justice. Runtime: 23 minutes


Free on Stage by Cacau Araujo
Felipe Galgani is a tap dancer and drag performer. Brushing and shuffling his way around New York City’s tap dancing scene for over a decade, he feels like he has checked all the boxes in his career as a tap dancer. Now all he wants to do is to be Xana DuMe, his drag persona. Free on Stage is a portrait of the transformation of Felipe into Xana, from the makeup and the wig to going up on stage to his reflections on reclaiming his secret dreams growing up as a gay boy in Brazil. 11 mins.

Mel Ramirez - “I’m No Superhero” by Jordana Bermúdez
Melissa Ramirez is a first-generation Mexican American. She was born and raised in the Bronx and comes from an immigrant family from Mexico City. Growing up, Melissa found an escape from everyday struggles through sports and has become a role model for younger generations. In 2020, she and Kava Garcia Vasquez co-founded Bronx Girls Skate, a skateboarding collective celebrating and growing women's skateboarding in the Bronx and beyond. 11 mins.

We Have a Story to Tell by Cayla Clements
Tony Dalton was born and raised in the South Bronx. Now, at 80 years old, he reflects on his religion, his inclination to always move forward, and his life in the borough that built him. 7 mins.
 
Mela by Joshua Martin Guerra
After immigrating from Honduras, Mela found her place in the Bronx through the friendships she built on the soccer field. Most of her closest friends are now about to graduate high school; and as they look to college and beyond, Mela confronts the challenges that will shape what she and her family can aspire to as they try to build a life in the US. 18 mins.

Black Genius by Lorena Nicole Vicente
Black Genius details the lives of two men who crossed each other’s paths one fortunate afternoon at a chess table. Shep, played the role of the listener, parental figure, and friend while Chris Cruz fell deeper into his love for the game of chess and admiration for his mentor Shep. Both men exemplify the power and importance of representation as a young Chris saw himself as worthy & intellectual through the eyes of his long lost friend and community of chess players and hustlers alike. 11 mins.

Are you interested in documentary film? Applications are open from June 5 to July 30 for the 2024-2025 BDC Films Fellowship. Learn more about the free, year-long documentary film fellowship here and apply here.

Address: BDC Annex, 354 E. 151st St, Bronx, NY 10455