All MiniPlex screenings take place inside Antenna Gallery at Press Street, 3718 St. Claude Ave., and are free and open to the public. Food and beverage will be available.
Screens Sunday at 6 p.m.
First-generation Mexican immigrant Nora Mendez finds herself working in a busy restaurant kitchen in North Carolina and struggling to support her family in the United States. The film’s observational style follows Nora through everyday moments — from working long hours, to spending time with her family, to reflecting upon the meaning of a life narrative itself.
As Nora herself puts it: “The way I see (the film) is very simple. It is about a person who is here for a dream. Little by little, their dreams begin to unfold and progress. More importantly, they share a part of their life. Not everything – but the most essential parts. The most important moments in my life have been those spent with my children. It is about what it means to be a human being on an emotional level.”
The Hand That Feeds (2014), Dir. Rachel Lears & Robin Blotnick
Screens Sunday at 7:30 p.m.
At a popular bakery café, residents of New York’s Upper East Side get bagels and coffee served with a smile 24 hours a day. But behind the scenes, undocumented immigrant workers face sub-legal wages, dangerous machinery, and abusive managers who will fire them for calling in sick. Mild-mannered sandwich maker Mahoma López has never been interested in politics, but in January 2012, he convinces a small group of his co-workers to fight back.
Risking deportation and the loss of their livelihood, the workers team up with a diverse crew of innovative young organizers and take the unusual step of forming their own independent union, launching themselves on a journey that will test the limits of their resolve. In one roller-coaster year, they must overcome a shocking betrayal and a two-month lockout. Lawyers will battle in back rooms, Occupy Wall Street protesters will take over the restaurant, and a picket line will divide the neighborhood. If they can win a contract, it will set a historic precedent for low-wage workers across the country. But whatever happens, Mahoma and his coworkers will never be exploited again.
Open Screen, New Orleans
Starts Sunday at 4 p.m.
Open Screens invite anyone to screen and get feedback on any video work, 10 minutes or less. Before each screening, the work’s creator can address the audience with a short introduction. Audiences can then discuss the work after each screening. We encourage audiences to keep their discussion respectful, and we ask that filmmakers hold their response to audience feedback until after the Open Screen program is complete.
