SALT LAKE CITY — Two Utah filmmakers will share their work at the Salt Lake Film Society’s Filmexico festival in Salt Lake City.
Luis Fernando Puente and Lizde Arias created the short film “El Mono.”
Puente is a recent graduate of Brigham Young University. He immigrated to the United States from Mexico as a child.
Puente is married to Arias who recently immigrated to the U.S.
“At least my own, what my story is as an immigrant, I am happy that I am able to share it,” Arias said.
The eight-minute film was shot in Utah during the summer of 2020 and it is a very personal story for both filmmakers.
“For us, it’s an immigration story about staying true to where you come from and your roots,” Arias said. “I feel there are different ways in which everyone can relate to the story.”
She hopes it offers a different viewpoint of the immigration story – one that looks at what takes place after the journey to a new country.
“It's not all tragedy and loss and sacrifices,” Arias said. “There is a lot of tenderness and love to our culture and adapting those roots to where we are now.”
The story is told through the eyes of a young girl and touches on the themes of remembering your traditions and roots.
“There kind of is this feeling of am I from here or am I from home,” Puente said. “At the same time, you feel like you’re not from both.”
The film screens at 7:00 p.m. on Friday, November 11 at the Broadway Center Cinemas in downtown Salt Lake City.
