New York Women in Film & Television (NYWIFT) continues the series Women Filmmakers: Immigrant Stories with a co-presentation with the Queens World Film Festival featuring the documentary film Undocumented by first-time filmmaker Patricia Shih.
Women Filmmakers: Immigrant Stories is a free screening series of work by women filmmakers focusing on the immigrant experience throughout the five boroughs of New York City. This series showcases a themed exhibition of short and feature-length films.
Undocumented
Patricia Shih (Director)
2016, 72 min
Undocumented, a documentary produced by first-time filmmaker Patricia Shih, explores the life of Dr. Harold Fernandez. The film is a compelling, inspiring and quintessential American Dream story about Dr. Harold Fernandez who as a young teen from Medellin, Colombia risked everything to make a treacherous boat voyage across the Bermuda Triangle in hurricane season. He journeyed with his even younger brother to join their parents in the US, from whom they had been separated for years. Fernandez’s family lived in the shadows, constantly in fear of deportation as undocumented immigrants. Ultimately a story of fear, loss, struggle and ultimately triumph as the young Fernandez overcomes seemingly impossible obstacles to strive for his lifelong dream of becoming a cardiac surgeon.
The issue of immigration is a personal one for Patricia Shih. Her father emigrated from China in 1945, two years after the repeal of the Chinese Exclusion Act, a racist law targeting solely one national group. Even after the repeal, the country limited the migration to 105 Chinese from around the world. Shih’s father’s visa was #25. Shih has been a creative artist in multiple media disciplines her entire life, starting at the tender age of 4 when she won her first award in art. At age 12 she wrote her first song. At 15 she signed a recording contract in Washington, DC. At 16 she released her first recording. Since then she has made her full-time living in the visual and performing arts (music, glass art, portraiture and theatre), and most recently in video. Shih has taught fine art for decades on both coasts, co-hosted a twice-daily talent TV show in New York for a year, recorded 9 albums and written two books about music. Honors include a Woman of Distinction award, a Woman Making a Difference honor, a Social Justice Leadership award, and numerous prestigious honors for her recordings.
Screening followed by a Q&A and reception with the filmmakers.
Date: Thursday, March 16th, 2017
Time: 2:30PM
Location: Kaufman Astoria Studios, Zukor Screening Room (34-12 36th Street, Astoria NY 11106)
Free Admission. RSVP in advance to reserve seats.
Directions:
From Manhattan: Closest subway stations are the R/M at Steinway Street and N/W at 36th Ave
From Brooklyn: Take the G to LIC-Court Square/45 Road and then take the M train to Steinway Street or take the G to LIC-Court Square/45 Road then the E to Queens Plaza then the R to Steinway Street.
From Queens: Take the 7 to 74th Street and Roosevelt Avenue. Walk downstairs to the E and R lines.
Special Thanks
NYC Council Member Elizabeth Crowley
Queens World Film Festival
Kaufman Astoria Studios
Zukor Screening Room
34-12 36th Street
Astoria NY 11106
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NYWIFT programs, screenings and events are supported, in part, by grants from New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council, and New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature.
