Private Project

The Ocean Is Closed on Mondays

The Ocean Is Closed on Mondays is a short film that explores what is lost through assimilation while reflecting on the challenges that come with Immigration in the Latinx Community in NYC. The script of the film was written based on collecting personal experiences and exchanges from the Latinx/Hispanic Community living in New York. Through questions such as "What are situations and places in your life where you completely feel like you belong?"a pool of personal stories and feelings were brought together. It was out of that research that, in collaboration with Poet Elisabet Velasquez, the poem that is leading the story was created. It reflects on the loss of heritage, identity and situations that question one's feeling of belonging. Making the viewer feel almost part of this process, this film takes you on a journey, allowing for reflection about your own sense of belonging and adapting.

  • Laura Gauch
    Director
  • Laura Gauch
    Writer
  • Melissa Louis-Jacques
    Producer
  • Sheneeka Ocasio
    Key Cast
  • Miriam Carrasquillo
    Key Cast
  • Tatiana Cifuentes
    Key Cast
  • Wiliam Suarez
    Key Cast
  • Nalani Carrasquillo
    Key Cast
  • Brandon Melendez
    Key Cast
  • Daniela Dipre
    Key Cast
  • Meah Farlow
    Key Cast
  • Mario Rodriguez
    Key Cast
  • Terron Bazemore
    Key Cast
  • Will Summers
    Key Cast
  • Pahola Bustos
    Key Cast
  • Melissa Louis-Jacques
    Key Cast
  • Elisabet Velasquez
    Poet
  • John Zeng
    Cinematography
  • Taj François
    Edit
  • Matt Iacono
    Assistant Camera
  • Pahola Bustos
    Set Design / Groom / Style
  • Andréas Pfannenstill
    Music and Sound Design
  • Annakatharina Chiedza Spörri
    Choreography by
  • Zack Chalmers
    Colorist
  • Ashley Kim
    Production Assistant
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Experimental, Short
  • Runtime:
    5 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    June 30, 2023
  • Production Budget:
    5,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    Switzerland
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    16mm
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - Laura Gauch

Based in Switzerland — Laura Gauch is a visual artist focusing on photography and film.
Her passion for capturing the world sprung during her teenage years and was carried to the present through the exploration of her Chilean heritage and familial background.

Striving to find her voice as an artist, Laura feeds her curiosity by trying to formulate answers to matters she hasn’t fully untangled yet, leading her to explore diverse subjects and contexts.

Putting a personal perspective in each and every project she commits to, Laura strives to create a composition relatable to the viewing audience in order to connect the artwork to people and their reality.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

My interest in this subject matter comes from my background, being raised in Switzerland by a Chilean mom, who was raised in Queens, New York. Until her death in my teenage years, I thought she was American. Therefore I was as well. Spending my childhood years in New York, I took pride in speaking English (the only language I learned from her), forcing my swiss friends to "o trick or treating on halloween, and didn’t think twice about my Grandma having an accent and sometimes forgetting words in English. My graduation film "Raíces" was my first exploration of my family's escape from Chile. I also started learning Spanish that year, requesting my Chilean passport, reconnecting to my moms family. in their mother tongue. I thought this project would satisfy my need for clarity. However, I soon realized that I only knew a piece of the whole puzzle. Looking back, I wonder why she barely lived out her Chilean roots. I was left with a lot of questions about my identity and belonging and this project reflects one of them.