This Boy's Vida (Made in America)

CREATOR STATEMENT - Joseph Castillo-Midyett

"What are you?", I still get asked this question all the time, almost every day and my response is always the same, "I’m American, what about you?"

I was the first generation born in this country. I was homeless 3 times before I was 16. By the time I finished high school I had attended over 15 schools and read my first word in the third grade (racism). I was first shot at, at the age of 13. I started working at the age of 10 to help put food on the table. I’ve been called a wet back and a white boy, and have been told to go back where I came from, but to stand proud because I am American. I AM NOT ALONE…this is the story of SO many Americans TODAY. Why do you think my director and producers were so drawn to This Boy’s Vida, the story I wrote based on my own life story? Cause it sounded like their story.

Movies and TV shows today, are looking across the border or overseas to hear crazy stories that deal with extreme hunger, dream chasing, violence in the streets, “making it”, extravagant love stories, etc. But these stories are happening RIGHT HERE, right in front of everyone’s face, right in the USA.

Listen, movies and TV shows got me through so many messed-up and dark times. I turned to them to drown out what was happening to me, and wanted to live in a world that I WISHED and LONGED for. But more importantly, they taught me in my formative years, who I could be and what life could be. 'Mrs. Doubtfire' taught me how to be a strong and kind man, 'Goonies' taught me about ride-or-die friendship, and 'Family Matters' taught me how a family could work through things in a healthy way...but, when I saw Barry Jenkins’ MOONLIGHT, that was the FIRST TIME I saw a life that looked a lot like mine. A lot like my friends, a lot like my whole block, my city, my part of the state, parts of this beautiful country. So I created, wrote, and acted in this project because no one has done anything about the Latino-American story.

This is an AMERICAN story--I didn’t grow up in a petri dish with ONLY other Latino-Americans. That’s what’s so weird about what’s happening in T.V. and Movies. Poverty is an equal Un-opportunity employer. Yes, the main protagonists are Latino-American because I am Latino-American, but the woman who gave me my first real job was white. I learned about self-respect from a black woman that was my neighbor, and my friends were Afghani- American, Filipino- American, Mexican- Americans, White, and Black. So, this is an AMERICAN STORY.

Americans as a whole are demanding more inclusion. They want to give people like us a chance. See work, (by us - mainly so they don’t mess it up which is what usually happens) that looks like the vast majority of America. BUT LET’S KEEP IT REAL. This is a business made up of producers, executives, production companies, and distributors and they want to make money. Well, this is a product that does both. So why not? Let’s give everyone what they want and make a change for the betterment of the whole.

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DIRECTOR STATEMENT - Adrienne Acevedo Lovette

THIS BOY'S VIDA holds a personal significance for me as the director, having grown up in a low-income household myself. This story of a young Latino boy navigating poverty while caring for his sisters, based on Joseph Castillo-Midyett’s own personal life as a child, resonates deeply with my experiences.

Through THIS BOY'S VIDA, we aim to shed light on the strength and resilience within the Latin American community. Drawing from our personal upbringing and the stories of others, we strive to challenge perceptions, break stereotypes, and foster understanding of the complex factors contributing to poverty.

We infused the storytelling with authenticity and emotional truth, creating a visually captivating and emotionally resonant narrative. We want to inspire and empower viewers who have faced similar challenges, offering a renewed sense of hope and self-belief, letting them know that there’s circumstance does not have to dictate their future.

THIS BOY'S VIDA is a project that amplifies the voices and stories of those who have navigated poverty in the Latin American community. Together, we will illuminate the indomitable spirit that emerges from difficult circumstances.