Free and open to the public
After a carelessly constructed dam breaks, the once-lively village of San Marcos, Mexico becomes partially flooded, driving out nearly the entire population. Three families remain in the isolated village: Pani and Paula continue working in their tortillería in hopes of restoring the village to its previous glory; Miro and his parents want to leave but can’t; Yoya and Jaimito are self-sustaining, but fear the violent attacks from soldiers that sporadically pass through. With unhurried interviews and gorgeous shots of the lush landscape, Betzabé García’s timely documentary debut deftly examines the impact of human-made disasters – coupled with the effects of climate change – with a quiet compassion that balances hope and resigned acceptance.
Kings of Nowhere will be preceded by a pre-feature short film, Refuge (dir. Katie Mathews). Phan Plork emigrated to Buras, Louisiana, in the early 1980s to escape the brutal regime of the Khmer Rouge. He now is part of a vibrant community of over 30 families of Cambodian descent in the heart of Plaquemines Parish. He and other Cambodian and Vietnamese fishermen are active parts of their community, but struggle to be engaged in the process of coastal restoration planning due to cultural and language barriers. As he looks towards the possibility of needing to move his family and community, becoming a refugee twice in his life, Phan wonders if his personal resilience will be enough to see his family, home and livelihood through. Refuge was produced as part of NOVAC’s documentary series Post Coastal, with significant support from the Foundation for Louisiana. Refuge filmmakers in attendance!
Our post-screening talk will be led by Natalie Montoya. As an Analyst at Gulf Restoration Network, Natalie works to protect wetlands by reviewing and commenting on state and federal permits, conducting GIS analysis, attending hearings and meetings, and contributing to communications. She has a Bachelors Degree in Landscape Architecture and minors in Psychology and Spanish. She has a background in organizing around sustainability and justice. In her free time, Natalie enjoys exploring nature and learning about the world through books, podcasts, and documentaries.
Science on Screen® at Shotgun Cinema is made possible through a grant from the Coolidge Corner Theatre, with major support from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.
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