Immigration Documentary Screening

Si Pudiera Quedarme is an intimate portrait of Jeanette and Ingrid, two undocumented Latinx mothers, who go to dramatic lengths to fend off deportation and separation from their families in the United States. The film chronicles five years in their lives as they defy their deportation orders and enter Sanctuary at local churches. Once living in Sanctuary, they physically do not leave the church grounds until they attain legal status, a process that takes years. ICE is currently practicing a ‘sensitive locations’ policy, which dictates not to enforce deportations in houses of worship and creates a temporary refuge for immigrants facing deportation. With an observational lens, we see these mothers claiming their power, fighting to keep their families together, and teaching allied faith communities myriad lessons.

In the film, we see these two mothers organizing and activating the mainly White faith communities who are grappling with the idea of how to put their power, privilege, and faith into action to support their undocumented sanctuary guests. The film explores friendships and relationships that develop between Jeanette, Ingrid, and their allied hosts, while focusing on the learning and unlearning necessary to be an effective ally towards undocumented communities. With an observational lens, we see these Latinx mothers claiming their power, fighting for respect, and teaching allied communities myriad lessons. Jeanette emphasizes “Providing Sanctuary is not doing us a favor. This is an act of social justice.”

Si Pudiera Quedarme takes viewers on an intimate journey with Ingrid, Jeanette, and their families over the course of five years, as they go in and out of Sanctuary, gain victories, lose battles, and grow their families, all in the search for a permanent legal status to live without fear of deportation. Both Ingrid and Jeanette are going through these dramatic measures to stay with their multiple children, who are born in the U.S., and only know this country as home.

Theo Rigby is a director, cinematographer and interactive storyteller based out of San Francisco. He has been creating stories focusing on the immigrant experience in the United States for over the last decade and is the founder of iNation Media.

For more information, please contact Lynn Oldham Robinett at office@marinifc.org. Light snacks will be served.