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Shrapnel

In a land that is both promising and perilous, an eighteen-year-old immigrant steps into the chaos of Miami—where bullets may carry names and words explode like shrapnel. This visceral poem captures the inheritance of fear: the anxious litany of family, the racial and cultural landmines, and the tangled code-switching required for survival—language can wound. Warnings throughout. In “Shrapnel,” spoken words become a battlefield of identity, belonging, and the heavy burden of arrival to a new country.

  • Víctor Rodolfo Jiménez
    Director
    Echoes of Pandemic, April 15th, Superhero
  • Carla López
    Producer
    Echoes of Pandemic
  • Víctor Rodolfo Jiménez
    Writer
    Echoes of Pandemic, April 15th, I don't know who is she, Her
  • Víctor Rodolfo Jiménez
    Key Cast
  • Project Title (Original Language):
    Metralla
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Experimental, Short, Other
  • Genres:
    Drama, Spoken Word, Docupoetry, Videopoem, Biography, Social issues
  • Runtime:
    5 minutes 51 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    December 19, 2024
  • Production Budget:
    0 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    Cuba
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    Spanish
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Black & White and Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Digital Cinema Package:
    Unavailable
  • Lift-Off Filmmaker Sessions Volume 6
    London
    United Kingdom
    June 30, 2025
    Europe Premier
    Official Selection
  • Cinestesya Film Festival
    Porto
    Portugal
    August 4, 2025
    Official Selection
  • Versi di Luce Film Festival
    Sicily
    Italy
    October 15, 2025
    Official Selection
  • Nature & Culture Poetry Film Festival
    Copenhagen
    Denmark
    August 9, 2025
    Official Selection
  • Midwest Video Poetry Fest
    Madison, Wisconsin
    United States
    April 4, 2026
    North America Premier
    Official Selection
  • I, Immigrant International Film Festival
    Los Angeles, California
    United States
    June 4, 2026
    Official Selection
Director Biography - Víctor Rodolfo Jiménez

Víctor Rodolfo Jiménez was born in Havana, Cuba in 1965. He is a television and film producer as well as a poet. In the audiovisual field, he has worked on advertising, short films, videopoetry, and documentaries, some of which have been recognized at International Film Festivals. His poetry has been featured in various magazines across the United States, Europe, and Latin America. He is the author of “Seven Cities” and “Ilusorium” poetry collections, and he also has three more unpublished manuscripts, “A Mammoth in the Backyard”, “Cassette” and “Soliloquy”. Currently, he resides in Miami.

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Director Statement

“Shrapnel” is a docupoem that confronts the inherited fears and fractured identities of immigration with raw urgency. Through voice, rhythm, and image, this piece explores how language—both protective and destructive—shapes the immigrant experience in America. My mission is to amplify the internal conflicts born from external warnings, to unearth the violence hidden in everyday advice, and to give voice to those navigating new lands under the shadow of inherited trauma. “Shrapnel” seeks to transform spoken word into a visual and emotional force—where every word lands like a fragment, sharp and unforgettable.