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Hotheaded

A Latina mother explains to her son the dangers of not controlling his emotions... and his gifts.

  • Pepe García Gilling
    Director
  • Mónica Álvarez Suárez
    Director
  • Mónica Álvarez Suárez
    Writer
  • Pepe García Gilling
    Writer
  • Jorge Cantú Álvarez
    Writer
  • Pepe García Gilling
    Producer
  • Mónica Álvarez Suárez
    Producer
  • Mónica Álvarez Suárez
    Key Cast
    "Mamá"
  • Jorge Cantú Álvarez
    Key Cast
    "Niño"
  • Camila Cantú Álvarez
    Key Cast
    "Niña"
  • Project Title (Original Language):
    Mecha Corta
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Genres:
    Latino, Latinx, Drama, Fantasy
  • Runtime:
    2 minutes 25 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    January 7, 2021
  • Production Budget:
    1 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    Spanish
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • 2021 Latino Film Market
    New York
    United States
    World Premiere
    Official Selection
Director Biography - Pepe García Gilling, Mónica Álvarez Suárez

Pepe has directed, written and produced two short films which have been screened at multiple film festivals around the world. He finished his MFA in Screenwriting and MAIS in Mexican American Studies at the University of Texas RGV. Pepe is currently the Chair and Director of Programming for the South Texas IFF. He served for seven years in the Monterrey IFF and has been working in the industry for a little over ten years. His films, his writing, and his academic work focus on the issues and the day-to-day of the Latinx community and the issues of representation.

Mónica is a poet and writer who currently teaches Advanced Spanish literature at PSJA Memorial High School in Alamo, Texas. She has an MA in Spanish and a MAIS in Mexican American Studies from the University of Texas RGV. Her poetry has been published in several collections and is frequently invited to poetry events and readings. She is an active member of the community through art activism and is one of the people spearheading the initiative of having Mexican American Studies taught in schools. This is her debut as an actress.

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Director Statement

"Mecha Corta" ("Hotheaded") is a rendering of what we feel many times as Mexicans and Latinxs in the United States. As parents, we're constantly seeking out ways to teach and prepare our children for the real world. As writers and filmmakers, we decided to involve our kids in the lesson, so we made a film. A sort of silver lining amidst this pandemic. The character of the mother is protective of her son and warns him about letting his emotions get the best of him. Once she realizes what happened, she sees herself struggling to contain her own emotions, which are fueled by the son's experiences with racial hate. With "Mecha Corta" we want to remind the viewer of the fragility of innocence and that we, as Latinxs in the U.S., have no intention of holding back our flames.

"Mecha Corta" es un retrato de lo que sentimos en varias ocasiones lxs mexicanxs y latinomericanxs que vivimos en Estados Unidos. Como madres y padres, constantemente estamos buscando de qué manera enseñarle y cómo preparar a nuestrxs hijxs para el mundo real. Como escritor@s y cineastas, decidimos involucrar a nuestr@s hijo e hija en la lección, así que hicimos una película. Un tipo de luz al final del túnel de esta pandemia. El personaje de la Madre protege mucho a su hijo y le advierte sobre qué pasa si no controla sus emociones. Cuando se da cuenta de qué llevó a su hijo a reaccionar así, ella misma batalla para contener su enojo ante las muestras de racismo a su hijo. Con "Mecha Corta" queremos recordar al público de la fragilidad de la inocencia y que nosotrxs, como Latinxs en los E.U., no tenemos ninguna intención de ahogar nuestras llamas.