THE WOMAN OF STARS AND MOUNTAINS

Rita, an indigenous woman from Mexico, left her Tarahumara mountain community in northern Mexico and embarked on a journey to Kansas. There, she was involuntarily detained and confined in a psychiatric hospital for 12 years because the hospital authorities could not ascertain her identity, origins, or the language she spoke. Upon the discovery of the truth, Rita returned to her community and her niece, Juanita, who cared for her. The Woman of Stars and Mountains presents a moving portrait of Rita and explores the multiple forms of racism and discrimination that indigenous women face.

THE FILMMAKER

Santiago Esteinou is a documentary filmmaker and producer from Mexico City. He studied cinematography in Mexico’s Centro de Capacitación Cinematográfica and Temple University, in Philadelphia. Later he completed a master's degree in Human Rights and Democracy at the Latin American Faculty of Social Sciences.

AWARDS AND FESTIVALS

Best Documentary - Ibero-Latin American Film Festival of Trieste, Italy
Nominated, Golden Alexander Award - Thessaloniki Documentary Film Festival, Greece
Best Int’l Documentary – DOCVILLE International Documentary Film Festival, Belgium
Ambulante Documentary Film Festival, Mexico
Tallgrass Film Festival, US
Hola Mexico Film Festival US
International Human Rights Film Festival, Argentina
San Diego Latino Film Festival, US
Santiago del Estero Film Festival (SEFF), Int’l Festival of Independent Cinema, Argentina
Rizoma International Film and Cultural Festival
Grand River Film Festival, Canada
Lane Doc Film Festival, US
Latin American Studies Association International Film Festival, Colombia

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