unseen

  Showing with open captions and audio description. The intro and Q&A on May 3 will include ASL interpretation.

Placing their film at the intersection of poetry and politics, as well as of immigration, disability and mental health, director Set Hernandez traces the story of their friend Pedro, an aspiring social worker who dreams of securing a job after graduation to support his family and provide mental health services for underserved communities. As a blind, undocumented immigrant from Mexico, Pedro’s path is strewn with heartbreaking challenges and political obstructions, but he also has the unconditional support of a community that will stand by him. Employing an outstanding creative approach, Hernandez, a co-founder of the Undocumented Filmmakers Collective, reimagines the accessibility of cinema through an emphasis on sound and a “blurry” cinematography that captures shapes, light and motion, to invite us to experience the world through Pedro’s "eyes." In full relationship with their film’s participant, Hernandez breaks down the fourth wall to allow moving conversations between director and participant, as they share many of the same challenges and uncertainties. Lucila Moctezuma

Streaming online May 5-9. Streaming is only available in Canada.