My Island

We go into the mind of a young woman as she struggles to find the words to say when she is asked about her origins. This experimental feature is inspired by the director Lucía Elena Ventura's personal experience being Cuban, based on an original poem.

  • Lucía Elena Ventura
    Director
  • Lucía Elena Ventura
    Animator
  • Lucía Elena Ventura
    Writer
  • Andrea Cervantes
    Key Cast
    "Celia Cruz"
  • Andrea Cervantes
    Key Cast
    "Narrator"
  • Tim Soman
    Producer
  • F. David Meyers
    Producer
  • Project Title (Original Language):
    Isla Mia
  • Project Type:
    Animation, Student
  • Genres:
    Experimental, Drama
  • Runtime:
    2 minutes 27 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    May 6, 2019
  • Production Budget:
    200 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    Yes
  • San Diego Latino Film Festival
    San Diego, California
    United States
    March 12, 2020
    Official Selection
  • GRRL HAUS CINEMA
    Berlin
    Germany
    December 1, 2019
    Official Selection
  • Young Animators International Film Festival
    Gurgaon, Haryana
    India
    November 16, 2019
    International Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Cuban Film Fest / Cuban American International Film Festival
    Miami, Florida
    United States
    November 2, 2019
    Official Selection
  • Somos Migrantes Film Festival
    Baltimore, Maryland
    United States
    September 13, 2019
    North American Premiere
    Official Selection
  • CCA Animation Senior Show
    Oakland, California
    United States
    May 10, 2019
    World Premiere
    Official Selection
Director Biography - Lucía Elena Ventura

Lucía Elena Ventura is an animator, filmmaker, and visual development artist currently based in Southern California. Born and bred crossing the San Diego/Tijuana border, she received her BFA in Animation with distinction at California College of the Arts. Her work specializes in telling stories, visual delights, tough emotions, and exploring her Cuban-Mexican-American identity. At least, these are common threads she feels represents her work; Lucía hopes to continue experimenting with her voice through thought-provoking stories and images, and create films that push what's possible in animation.

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Director Statement

This film is for people like me who find themselves at a loss when we are questioned about our background. This is a love letter to our journeys with identity: you cannot have the joy without the pain and the annoyance - our cultures are our greatest strengths and our Achilles' heels. No matter where you were born or where you are going, you will always have a piece of your ancestral land with you. For the culture, the people, mi Cuba.