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El Corrido de Cecilia Rios
by Kristy Guevara-FlanaganLatino youth cope with violence, grief and healing
El Corrido de Cecilia Rios is an inspiring documentary about the life and death of one teenage girl. When the life of Cecilia Rios is tragically cut short by her brutal murder, a group of teens comes together to commemorate her life and speak out about the violence that intersects their lives. Using the traditional structure of the Mexican ballad and featuring the music of the acclaimed folkloric group, Los Cenzontles, El Corrido de Cecilia Rios offers a unique entry into the lives of Latino youth and an empowering narrative about community healing.
EL CORRIDO DE CECILIA RIOS provides a cathartic transcendence, a sense of completion and ultimately hopefulness due to its coherent and artful portrayal of a teenage community responding to crisis.
Kathleen Sweeney
Afterimage: The Journal of Media Arts and Cultural Criticism
...A mesmerizing tribute to a girl just like us. The hope of this film is the strength of a community that comes together to remember Cecy, to value themselves and their culture, and to not take anything for granted. As these youth try to make sense out of a senseless violent act, clearly they hold la cultura cura to be true.
Dawn D. Valadez, M.S.W.
The Community Network for Youth Development
San Francisco
Filmmaker Kristy Guevara-Flanagan examines beauty and strength in the face of societal pressures, personal experiences and cultural conflicts.
Dallas Video Festival
...A love-poem to Cecilia and the community mourning her death. EL CORRIDO DE CECILIA RIOS bears witness to the horrifying violence affecting the lives of young people today.
Rosa Linda Fregoso, Professor
Women & Gender Studies, University of California, Davis
Author, The Bronze Screen: Chicana & Chicano Film Culture
A corrido is a traditional Mexican literary and musical form, similar to a ballad.
Orlando Archibeque
Auraria Library
University of Colorado at Denver
MC Journal: The Journal of Academic Media Librarianship
full review
AWARDS & SCREENINGS:
- Golden Spire Winner, San Francisco International Film Festival
- Sundance International Film Festival
- Honorable Mention, Columbus International Film & Video Festival
- Outstanding Achievement, Independent Film Channel Student Awards
- Honorable Mention, Directors Guild of America Student Film Awards
- New York International Children's Film Festival
