'Sansón and Me' film screening and panel discussion
Overview
The School of Cinema invites students, faculty, and the general public to a screening of "Sansón and Me" (2022) followed by a panel discussion on immigration, mass incarceration, and storytelling with director Rodrigo Reyes.
Program
- 6:15 p.m. - Reception
- 7 p.m. - Screening
- 8:30 p.m - Panel Discussion
About the Film
During his day job as a Spanish criminal interpreter in a small town in California, filmmaker Rodrigo Reyes met a young man named Sansón, an undocumented Mexican immigrant who was sentenced to life in prison without parole. With no permission to interview him, Sansón and Reyes worked together over a decade, using hundreds of letters as inspiration for recreations of Sansón’s childhood—featuring members of Sansón's own family. The result is a vibrant portrait of a friendship navigating immigration and the depths of the criminal justice system, and pushing the boundaries of cinematic imagination to rescue a young migrant's story from oblivion.
"Sansón and Me" premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival and won the best film award at the Sheffield Doc/Fest. The film will open in select theaters in March, and Represent Justice has partnered with the film team to launch a national impact campaign.
Sponsored by the College of Liberal & Creative Arts, the School of Cinema, Represent Justice, and the Latinx Student Center, with support from the George and Judy Marcus Funds for Excellence in the Liberal Arts.