Headlands Center for the Arts

Artist Statement

I am a Colombian American filmmaker and educator. In my creative work, I draw on the impermanence of home, my bi-national (US/Colombia) and Latinx identity, queerness, and experiences at the US/Mexico border to tackle cultural contradictions experienced by immigrants from Latin America who are living in the United States. Through lyrical explorations of text, dialogue, theatrical adaptations, and the depiction of intimate human relations within the context of geographical landscapes, I create narrative and non-fiction videos that tell stories of migration not only as an experience of displacement but also of wisdom and resilience. 

It is through early personal experiences that I have built a curiosity for stories and the power of imagination to render the struggles that accost the human condition and the joys that redeem it. With my work, I aim to engage with the audience—and the people involved in the making of the work with me—in dialogue and shared transformation. 

While at Headlands

While at Headlands I will take the opportunity to hone in on a clear vision for my projects and practice. Freed from the pressure to produce and survive, I will allow myself time to think, read, and be in contact with other artists. I take this task with urgency.

Specifically, I will be writing a new script, a process that includes meticulous revisions, outlines, and research. I’m looking forward to making connections for collaborations, presentations, and opportunities of all kinds.

Selected Work

Patricia Montoya, trailer for CUANDO LA RUMOROSA CALLA (When La Rumorosa Quiets), 2020; film in Spanish with English subtitles; 16 min 20 sec. Directed Patricia Montoya; produced by Patricia Montoya and Santiago Madera.