PHLAFF & Vox Populi Event Recap
On Thursday December 11th, we had the pleasure of collaborating with Vox Populi for Black Box Presents: Voices of the Mexican Diaspora. The event brought Vox Populi and PHLAFF together for an evening of contemporary cinema examining the lived experiences, histories, and community power of the Mexican diaspora. Co-curated with and hosted by Erick Barragán, the program featured short and feature-length works that navigate labor, memory, migration, and collective organizing across Mexico City, Puebla, and Philadelphia.
The screening featured Mi Querida Escandón (dir. Héctor Tapia), Made in America (dir. Edgar Aquino Huerta), Wham! (dir. Sandra Manzanares), La Sal de Mi Tierra (dir. Antonio Arroniz Castro), and Expanding Sanctuary (dir. Kristal Sotomayor). Spanning documentary, narrative, and experimental horror, these works offer grounded portraits of daily life and the forces that shape it—from inherited craft traditions to food and cultural memory, to the politics of sanctuary. Together, they trace the textures of work, the making of home across borders, and the ways communities build resilience in the face of systemic pressures.
The evening was concluded with a short conversation with Mexican artists from the representing films, moderated by Erick Barragán. Thank you to our friends at Vox Populi for making such an event possible, and thank you to our collaborating artists!
Looking for more upcoming film events this holiday season? Join Cinepamina this Thursday, December 18th, at 6:00 PM at the Mexican Consulate for a screening of Pastorela. Following the screening will be a brief, virtual panel with film director Emilio Portes.
When: December 18th @ 6:00 PM
Where: 1650 Arch St, Philadelphia, PA 19103 (Entrance on 17th Street)
Admission: FREE
