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The Sugarcane/ El cañaveral

SYNOPSIS: “El Cañaveral” (“The Sugarcane”) is a short documentary (59 min.) that portrays Joaquín Ramírez’s struggle to be free from the system that oppresses him. Fearing for his life, Joaquín, a member of the HIV+ gay community and a Salvadorian political activist, sets in motion a desperate attempt to seek asylum in Canada but the outcome of his refugee claim looks bleak

  • Samuel López
    Director
    Walking in these shoes; Our Faces, Our Stories; Samuel & Samantha
  • Samuel López
    Writer
    Walking in these shoes; Our Faces, Our Stories; Samuel & Samantha
  • Samuel López
    Producer
  • Samuel López
    Key Cast
  • Joaquín Ramirez
    Key Cast
    "Tiffany"
  • Project Title (Original Language):
    El cañaveral
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Feature
  • Runtime:
    59 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    October 12, 2013
  • Production Budget:
    40,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    Canada
  • Country of Filming:
    Canada, El Salvador
  • Language:
    English, Spanish
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Black & White and Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Alucine, Best Local Emerging Filmmaker
    Toronto
    Canada
    October 19, 2016
    North America
    Best Local Emerging Filmmaker
  • Festival del Nuevo Cine Latinoamericano
    La Habana
    Cuba
    October 19, 2016
    World Premiere
  • Cinema Politica
  • Cine Las Americas
Distribution Information
  • vtape.org
    Distributor
    Country: Canada
    Rights: All Rights
Director Biography - Samuel López

Samuel es de los pueblos originarios pipiles, reside en Canadá y le gusta documentar. De eso trata cada uno de sus trabajos realizados. Caminar en estos zapatos es un llamado al hospital especial y único en el mundo que sirve al VIH, a que cambien las políticas y le den acceso a los pacientes los fines de semana para que personas como Derek Yee, no tengan que morir esperando cama. Al igual que este corto, el resto de sus películas tratan temas de derechos humanos y con equipos mayoritariamente de indígenas, latinxs, LGBTQ2S, VIH y otras minorías en la sociedad canadiense. Samuel salió de El Salvador muy joven, durante la guerra civil de los 80s y tuvo su début como director en 1992. Con poca escuela y con mucho empeño ha podido realizar trabajos que han sido premiados tales como El Cañaveral y Walking in these shoes.

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Director Statement

Sexuality and HIV are themes that have driven my artistic expression since my very first work. In 1993, I made my directorial debut with the short documentary Samuel & Samantha (which screened at the Frameline Film Festival), an autobiography about my life as a Latino drag queen activist. This was a time when gay Latinos were pushing to open spaces in a homophobic society and being a drag queen was a political statement. This documentary also embodied the lasting legacy my deceased older brother Mario left me with -- to be a political activist in Toronto’s gay community and support the fight against AIDS.