This is a film about a Puerto Rican girl in El Barrio, NYC.
“Millie and the Lords” is the story of a young Puerto Rican girl growing up on the streets of Spanish Harlem. Millie was forced to grow up on her own and struggles to survive every day, facing violence, discrimination, and poverty. An avid reader, Millie fantasizes about going away to college and becoming a writer. But in her world, this is not a realistic goal. With no one on her side, she is resigned to living in the projects of El Barrio for the rest of her life.
But then, Millie meets Mateo, a caring older man who rescues Millie from danger and takes her under his wing. Mateo is a former Young Lord, and he shares with Millie all of his knowledge and experiences with this Puerto Rican revolutionary group. His encouragement and belief in Millie give her a sense of possibility that she never had before. Little by little, Millie’s life begins to change. Her grades improve, she initiates improvement in her community, she becomes a mentor to fellow students. Following the model of the Young Lords, she reaches out to her peers and becomes a leader in the fight for social justice in her community.
My goal is to create a short film that celebrates our Latino heritage as well as uplifts the Latino youth of today .In light of the controversy surrounding immigrant rights and the continued attack on Latinos in this country, this story is more relevant than ever.
FAQ
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Millie and the Lords is about a young Puerto RIcan girl growing up in Spanish Harlem. Surrounded by violence, poverty, and an abusive father, she doesnt really think that there is much to live for. But when Mateo, a retired teacher and political activist, comes into her life, her entire life is turned around. By sharing with her about the Young Lords and other Puerto Rican activists in history, he helps her to see her own worth, and gives her a reason to keep on living.
Inspired by what she discovers about the Young Lords Party and all the good things that they did for the Puerto Rican community, she is transformed from an insecure and hopeless teenager to a strong, confident, and successful leader in her community. -
The film will be shot entirely in El Barrio (Spanish Harlem) NYC.
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At the Center for Puerto Rican Studies at Hunter College (Centro).
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Yes! I have spoken at length with Iris Morales, (who Millie is loosely based on), and she has read the script.
I am also looking to get in touch with other Young Lords members who would like to be a part of this! -
The Young Lords Party was a Puerto Rican revolutionary group that was active in the 1970's in NYC and Chicago. Thru their social activism, they made a tremendous impact on the lives of Puerto Ricans in this country. Like the Black Panthers of the African American community, they fought for change andequal rights for minorities.
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I aim to shoot the feature in January 2012.
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No, not really. All writers bring at least a part of themselves into their work, and this is no exception. There are parts of Millie that are part of me, and all of Millie's friends were inspired by people I've met. But for the most part, it is a fictional piece.
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For many reasons. Primarily because I think that the Young Lords did a lot of good for our community, and deserve to be honored and to have their story told. Secondly, there is a lack of positive role models/influences for young Latinos in the media. I think that young latinos in this country need to see positive images and hear inspiring messages from other latinos. Finally, it is a personal tribute to my relatives who fought so hard when they first came here and made it possible for me to live the life I live.
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I am an actress and have a lot of experience on film. I wanted to learn the "other side" of it, so i read books on screenwrting . I wrote a screenplay and had a reading of it in my apt in Harlem. I worked for a film production company to learn the ins and outs of film production. I later shot the trailer that you see here. This is my first film project.
51
Backers
$2,120
pledged of $2,000 goal
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Funding period
Aug 17, 2011 -
Oct 16, 2011
(60 days)
- First created · 10 backed
- Has not connected Facebook
- Website: jennicacarmona.com
Pledge $10 or more
8 backers
With a $10 donation, you will receive a complimentary DVD copy of the completed film!! Thats right, your very own copy to watch over and over again, and to share with all of your friends!!
Estimated delivery: Jan 2012Pledge $25 or more
17 backers
With a $25 donation, in addition to your own copy of the film, you will receive a guest pass to the opening nite screening of the film, as well as a special invitation to the after party!!
Estimated delivery: Jan 2012Pledge $50 or more
16 backers
With a $50 dollar donation, you will receive a complimentary DVD copy of the film, two passes to opening nite screening and two passses to the after party. You will also receive a Millie and the Lords T-shirt in your choice of black, white, or red. .
Estimated delivery: Jan 2012
