Ñaños

I had just moved to NYC after living in Boston for 3 years and the difference when walking on the streets of New York is drastically inspiring. This city creates a sense of urgency, a rawness in the racial, cultural, and sexual diversity and an unexpected encounter around the corner. Taking notes on these moments kept me busy. It was hard to believe the first time I found a piece of Ecuador in a city like New York: Corona, Queens. I was deeply reminded of Ecuador and how I had not been there in two years. My siblings were becoming adults while I was away and I was missing them deeply. The story for Ñaños came to exist thanks to these cultural nuclei that exist in the city.

I chose to make a film that connected me back to my roots while being far from home. It is the story of a broken relationship between two siblings who look for a chance to escape their home in order to find themselves. In Ñaños the story took a verité approach, went to the streets and decided to work mostly with non-actors. The Ecuadorian community in Queens welcomed us and our small film crew consisting of friends who generously donated their time to this self-funded project. This is a project about brothers and only possible with the help of family.