La Línea
Today we’re sharing a film for older viewers, in high school and up. Written by Gregorio Castro and Evan Buxbaum in 2011, La Línea is a nine minute short “based on nine million true stories”. It tells the story of Alejandro, a Mexican who discovers that his border-crossing journey into America will not be a lonely one. In contrast to films with related subject matters, La Línea notably takes a more lighthearted approach to telling a story of illegal immigration, highlighting humor and humanity. This short is a great example of simple storytelling for up and coming filmmakers with low or no budgets. It was selected to screen in numerous film festivals across the country, including the Nantucket International Film Festival, HBO NY International Latino Film Festival, and DC Shorts.
The film’s co-writer Buxbaum, along with filmmaker (and current Village of Pelham Mayor) Chance Mullen, went on to co-write an award-winning, independent feature film based on La Línea, called Sun Belt Express. Directed by Buxbaum, Sun Belt was screened at The Picture House in 2014, followed by a Q&A with the cast which included Tate Donovan, Rachael Harris, and Arturo Castro.
We hope you enjoy this short, powerful example of storytelling and share it with others. You can find all of our arts break activities on our website at https://thepicturehouse.org/at-home/. If you’ve also been inspired by our films and activities, we’d love to hear from you! Please email teacher@thepicturehouse.org or post on Instagram and Facebook and tag #TPHatHome.