Five UA Filmmakers, Four Different Stories, Three Questions, Two Festivals
One Goal...To Inspire

Puro Mexicano & Reel Inspiration, which are two different names for a weekend full of short film screening, look for inspiring documentary and narrative films about the good in our world. There's a special "Celebrating Cultural Diversity Award" for the filmmaker who best incorporates cultural heritage and traditions into their story...And this year, it was harder than ever to choose who won with fellow classmates and friends who I know that have made beautiful films.

Before I tell you who won what, check out their entries and star profiles!

JUST COFFEE

SYNOPSIS
From the coffee fields of Chiapas, Mexico to the urban streets of Douglas, Arizona, this documentary examines a small organization’s desire to alleviate immigration through just priced coffee sales – their effort eventually allowing Mexican natives to reconsider their journey over the border.


FILMMAKER'S BIO
Roberto Gudiño is currently attending the University of Arizona where the will receive his B.F.A. in Film and Television Production in 2007. He has written, directed and photographed several short films such as Toy Soldier, Polvo, Have Been, and Share This. Share This was selected for the Damah Film Festival in Culver City, California and No Festival Required in Phoenix, Arizona.

Eli Cordova is currently attending the University of Arizona where he will receive a B.F.A. in Media Arts and B.A. Theatre Arts with an emphasis in directing. He has directed several short films such as Park Bench, A Letter from Vietnam, and Stigma as well as worked several theatre productions such as Scenes from an Execution, Henry IV, and Romeo and Juliet. Eli is currently in production for his senior thesis film.


MARIPOSA CANYON

SYNOPSIS
Saddened over his mother’s recent death, a young man ventures to the mystical Mariposa Canyon to release her ashes.



FILMMAKER'S BIO
Benjamin Daniel Lobato is was a senior Honors student at the University of Arizona. He is a recipient of the SLAVIN Award for Excellence in Media Arts. He also has recieved the Imagen Awards, which honors positive Hispanic portrayals in the media.









2 MEN FROM IRAQ

SYNOPSIS
This current documentary which was selected for the 2006 Reel Inspiration Film Contest, tells the story of two Iraqi men while living under the rule of Saddam and how they escaped the country.



FILMMAKER'S BIO
Justin Mashouf is a fourth year BFA Media Arts student. Justin’s short documentary, Morning Submission, was included on the winner’s reel of the 2005 Pure Inspiration Film Contest. The film has played at screens around Tucson and various community centers. Hi







87 TOPAZ

SYNOPSIS
A grandson remembers his grandfather's life, his love of cars, and the loss he experienced in his final years as he succumbed to Alzheimer's disease. Personal writings, old photographs, and super 8 home movies are gracefully intertwined with digital video in a meditation on memory, record-keeping, and automobiles.



FILMMAKER'S BIO
Bill Kersey was born in Fargo and grew up in North Dakota and Minnesota. He graduated in 2005 from the University of Arizona in Tucson with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Media Arts. His award-winning short films have been screened at numerous festivals around North America.