Latino Public Broadcasting Premieres Two New Digital Shorts on PBS.org Nov. 18

The Fires of Soledad and The Hummingbirds, two provocative digital short films by emerging LatinX filmmakers and presented by Latino Public Broadcasting (LPB) will premiere on PBS.org and the PBS Video app on Monday, November 18, 2019.

Daniel Eduvijes Carrera's haunting supernatural drama, The Fires of Soledad, tells the moving story of a migrant family trapped in a state of mourning after losing a child to the current of the Rio Grande. Says filmmaker Carrera: "I was raised in an immigrant home burdened by a heavy silence. My father was forced to flee Mexico following a tragic shootout. My mother survived nine years of poverty and two stillborn children on the Tijuana border. And my seven-year-old brother drowned in a drainage canal shortly after crossing into the United States. These truths need to be spoken - not simply to acknowledge the traumas of the immigrant journey, but also and most importantly, to honor the resilience of a community all too often exploited, disparaged and dehumanized for economic circumstances beyond our control."

In William D. Caballero's The Hummingbirds, a young boy struggling with his gender identity must find the hero within in order to save his terminally-ill superhero father. "The Hummingbirds is a tribute to my father, Guillermo Caballero, a diabetic with kidney failure, who suffers every day, and yet, never gives up hope," says the filmmaker. "He's always been a hero to me, though he certainly does not see himself that way. This short film is my way of encapsulating the legacy of a man who gave everything to provide for me and my mother. I hope that it can change the viewer's perception of who a superhero can be and what a superhero looks like."

"We're proud to present these two very original short films," says Sandie Viquez Pedlow, Executive Director of Latino Public Broadcasting (LPB). "It's exciting to work with these young filmmakers, who both have such a unique vision and style. They're part of a new movement of emerging Latino filmmakers who are using the medium to tell personal stories. It's an honor for us to be a part of their journey and share their work with audiences across the country."