Chicana Stardust is a retro-futuristic short film based mainly in Tijuana, Mexico. We call it the Milky Way's first space-telenovela!
Synopsis:
"Civil war has begun on Planet Jaba. General Oz has gained enough support to destroy all
cultural artifacts that have kept the people of Jaba connected to their past.
In a final act of resistance, Fela has stolen the Amulet - the most important of all artifacts - and
escaped to their ancient homeland of California.
Now, Akyra, Generals Oz’s right hand woman, has taken her best warriors and gone after Fela
to destroy the Amulet and bring her back to give her the justice she deserves."
Background:
We wanted to explore what role Mexican-Americans or Chicanxs play in the larger conversation
regarding Mexican culture and the immigrants identity struggle. How can we adapt in America and still preserve our culture? Do we
have a say when it comes to addressing problems in Mexican society? What about in American
culture? Being stuck in the middle of these two worlds inspired us to take ownership of our
history and create a narrative that resonates within our local community.
The fact that we live on both sides of the most crossed border in the world allowed us to
address the issues of immigration, asylum seeking, and identity. The story of two aliens (Akyra
and Fela) caught in opposite sides of a civil war provided a backdrop for us to explore these
ideas. We wanted to blend different styles and genres to create a film that feels both
spontaneous and deliberate. Something we aspire to do in all our work.
This is a short film intended to open the doors to a universe we hope to continue exploring
through a mixture of film, comics, art and other mediums of expression.
