Libertad – Give to Fight Hate & Support Trans Immigrants!

Santa Cruz, California | Film Feature

Documentary, Animation

08 days :12 hrs :55 mins

Until Deadline

36 supporters | followers

Enter the amount you would like to pledge

$
%

$3,050

Goal: $10,000 for post-production

After surviving a near-fatal assault, an indigenous trans youth escaped Oaxaca. She goes on to become a medical assistant, inspire the only trans healthcare provider in Santa Cruz, CA, and medically transition. Amid growing anti-trans violence, she risks the life she's built to fight for her future.

About The Project

  • The Story
  • Wishlist
  • Updates
  • The Team
  • Community

Mission Statement

In an era of escalating femicides in Mexico and anti-trans violence in the US alongside mass deportations, Libertad will reach a broader audience to challenge the injustices of our broken immigration system that separates families, scapegoats LGBTQ+ people, and divides communities.

The Story

The Film

Libertad is a feature-length documentary film expanded from a short with the same name that premiered at Outfest Fusion and screened at Frameline and 25 other festivals worldwide before winning the Jury Award for best short at Cine Las Americas. The audience was so moved that they contacted us to learn more about Daniela's backstory, uncertain future, and plans for moving forward powerful conversations about social issues in the film. The project has grown into an 8-year collaboration between Daniela and our majority Latine, immigrant, and femme creative team. 


The Impact Campaign

Fiscally sponsored by Women Make Movies, Libertad weaves social issues impacting trans, immigrant, Latine, and indigenous communities. We will work with a Community Advisory Board of trans activists, immigrants, filmmakers, educators, and social workers to develop educational materials building on the film as a tool. Then, we will host screenings and community engagement events in partnership with organizations combatting domestic violence, supporting sexual assault survivors, fostering supportive communities for trans immigrants, and expanding trans healthcare in Spanish-speaking communities.



Why this?

According to the Williams Institute, immigrants are six times more likely to identify as Transgender than the average US adult. Trans immigrants risk death, sacrifice their careers, and suffer permanent familial separation to flee violence and repression in their countries of origin, only to face anti-immigrant and anti-Trans hate upon arrival. Working with community leaders in Mexico and the US, we'll share Daniela's story and create resources to support other trans asylum seekers and their families.



Why Now?

Latines are the largest minority group in the US, and trans stories pervade the public square, yet few films address the intersection of these identities. Moreover, a historic number of Latines voted for Trump, showing that we need nuanced, thoughtful, culturally relevant storytelling to fight hate while building understanding and power within our communities.



Why Us?

Together, we have over 50 years of film experience, including making work that is recognized by Sundance, Tribeca, PBS, BAVC, GLAAD, Producers, Ford Foundation's Just Films, the National Association of Latino Independent Producers, and the National Association of Latino Arts and Culture. We are deeply-rooted in impacted communities and are working with André Pérez, a Latine transgender Social Impact Producer who's spent 17 years leading engagement campaigns by and with BIPOC and Trans communities that leverage storytelling for social change.



Stretch Goal

$10,000 is the minimum we need to finish the film. However, If we raise additional funds, we can afford to pay for additional staffing to engage community organizations. If we raise $15,000, then it will subsidize more community screenings, enabling low-budget organizations and groups to bring powerful programming to their communities while paying our team equitably for their time and expertise. 


Timeline

2025 Overall - Premiere on the festival circuit & initiate community-based screenings

January - Complete fine cut of the film, start submitting to festivals

February - Outreach to partner organizations, fulfill perks

March - Complete the color correction and sound mixing


Wishlist

Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.

Color Correction

Costs $2,000

Help pay a portion of the cost (average is $2,000-6,000) or donate services to prepare Libertad for festivals & broadcast.

Sound Mixing

Costs $2,000

Help pay a portion of the cost (average is $2,000-6,000) or donate services to prepare Libertad for festivals & broadcast.

Developing Educational Materials

Costs $1,000

We'll work with partners to create bilingual materials about domestic violence, sexual assault, and immigration to accompany the film.

Community Events

Costs $2,500

Help pay for staffing to build partnerships and bring the film to communities that need it most.

Final Edit

Costs $2,500

We have been mostly self-funded until now. Help pay for the final round of editing and to prepare packages for festivals.

Cash Pledge

Costs $0

About This Team


Director/Producer

Brenda Avila-Hanna, is an immigrant whose work defies stereotypes while shedding light on injustices. Her award-winning films have been showcased at the Tribeca, HotDocs Toronto, and Cine Las America.


Director of Photography/ Producer

Kati Greaney has worked on documentary, commercial and interactive projects in Salvador de Bahia, Brazil, Tamil Nadu, and the US including “Inside the Distance”, which was awarded the prestigious Rockefeller/Tribeca Film Festival New Media Fellowship.


Lead Editor/Post-Production Producer

Melina Tupa holds a Bachelor in Journalism from the Pontifical Catholic University of Argentina and a Master of Journalism from UC Berkeley. Her work has been honored by the Society of Professional Journalists.


Co-Producer

Cassandra Casasola has worked in the Production and Photography areas for the Campamento Audiovisual Itinerante, La Calenda Audiovisual, OaxacaCine, Agencia Bengala, Bambú Audiovisual and in a variety of film productions.


Producer and Impact Producer

André Pérez is a Latinx transgender artist, educator, and organizer with 15 years of experience working to advance trans communities of color. His work’s been supported by Creative Capital, Sundance, and Doc Society.


Animator

María José Kotik Villela is an artist specializing in collaborative projects in indigenous communities, with an emphasis in collective memory. Her work has been showcased in Brazil, Chile, México, Colombia, France and Spain.


Assistant Editor/Additional Camera, Associate Producer

Eugenia Renteria is a Watsonville-based director, cinematographer and editor. After earning her B.A. in Cinematic Arts & Technology from CSU Monterey Bay, she co-founded her production company, Inspira Studios, to produce content for businesses and organizations,


Additional Camera/ Associate Producer

Alejandro Santana Jr. graduated from UC Santa Cruz with a degree in film and digital media where he won the Dean's Art Award for his documentary, Midnight Warrior. Alex went on to work for two television news stations as a Production Assistant: KSBW Channel 8 and NBC Bay Area.


Current Team

Supporters

Followers

Incentives