Pacho Velez
2021Bastards of Utopia
Maple Razsa, Pacho Velez
Three Croatian activists struggle to change the world. As children, they lived through the violent collapse of Yugoslavia. But now, amid the aftershocks of socialism's failure, they fight in their own way for a new leftism. In the middle of the struggle, a skeptical American is won over by their cause and even goes to jail with them. The activists, whether clashing with police or squatting in an old factory, risk everything to live their politics. But as the setbacks mount, will they give up the fight? The film, shot during years of fieldwork with a Croatian anarchist collective, applies EnMasseFilm's unique blend of observation, direct participation and critical reflection to this misunderstood political movement. Its portrayal of activism is both empathetic and unflinching -- an engaged, elegant meditation on the struggle to re-imagine leftist politics and the power of a country's youth.
Bastards of Utopia
The American Sector
Courtney Stephens, Pacho Velez
A documentary about the concrete sections of the Berlin Wall that have been acquired by institutions or individuals since 1989 and are now scattered across the USA. Cherished or abandoned, they have become silent witnesses to recent history.
The American Sector
The Reagan Show
Sierra Pettengill, Pacho Velez
Ronald Reagan, Nancy Reagan
Comprised entirely of archival footage taken during those pre-reality-television years, The Reagan Show looks at how Ronald Reagan redefined the look and feel of what it means to be the POTUS.
The Reagan Show
The Starting Line/La Línea
Nicole Salazar, Pacho Velez
The Starting Line captures the rhythms of a day at the Tijuana border crossing. But it’s not just any day: as people go through their routines, they listen to the local news report on Donald Trump’s inauguration. By taking the usual viewpoint—American broadcasters talking about life on the Mexican border—and flipping it on its head, The Starting Line presents an unexpected view of America’s capitol, as it appears from just over the border.
The Starting Line/La Línea
