''Burros'' is a 2021 American short

drama film In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. Drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular super-g ...

written and directed by Jefferson Stein and starring a cast of first-time actors from the Tohono O'odham Nation where it is set.

Eva Longoria Eva Jacqueline Longoria Bastón ( Longoria; March 15, 1975) is an American actress, producer, and director. After a number of guest roles on several television series, she was recognized for her portrayal of Isabella Braña on the CBS daytime ...

serves as an executive producer. The film held its world premiere at the 20th Annual

Tribeca Film Festival The Tribeca Festival is an annual film festival organized by TriBeCa Productions, Tribeca Productions. It takes place each spring in New York City, showcasing a diverse selection of film, episodic, talks, music, games, art, and immersive progra ...

on June 18, 2021, and won the Jury Award in the Live Action Short category at the 25th Annual

New York International Children's Film Festival New York International Children's Film Festival (NYICFF) Established in 1997, NYICFF’s mission is rooted in the belief of film as a path for young people to understand themselves and others. All programs are designed to celebrate the beauty and po ...

qualifying it for the 95th Annual

Academy Awards The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...

Plot

After her father, a Tohono O'odham tracker, leaves for work assisting the

United States Border Patrol The United States Border Patrol (USBP) is a Federal law enforcement in the United States, federal law enforcement agency under the United States' U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Customs and Border Protection and is responsible for securing ...

on the

Mexico–U.S. border The Mexico–United States border ( es, frontera Estados Unidos–México) is an international border separating Mexico and the United States, extending from the Pacific Ocean in the west to the Gulf of Mexico in the east. The border traver ...

, Elsa, a six-year-old Tohono O'odham girl, finds a

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...

migrant her age, separated from her father as she crossed the border into the United States. Unable to communicate, Elsa takes her through her community in

Sells, Arizona , native_name_lang = ood , settlement_type = CDP , image_skyline = , imagesize = , image_caption = , image_map = Pima County Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Sells highl ...

and ultimately to her grandmother, Gagi, who speaks

Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries **Spanish cuisine Other places * Spanish, Ontario, Cana ...

, English, and

O'odham The O'odham peoples, including the Tohono O'odham, the Pima people, Pima or Akimel O'odham, and the Hia C-ed O'odham, are indigenous people of the Americas, indigenous Uto-Aztecan peoples of the Sonoran desert in southern and central Arizona and ...

and bridges the language barrier.

Cast

* Amaya Juan as Elsa * Zuemmy Carrillo as Ena * Virginia Patricio as Gagi * Rupert Lopez as Joe * Armondo 'Mondo' Gonzales as Mondo * Michael Geronimo as Beatboxer * Carlos Chico as Beatboxer

Production

Development and pre-production

Jefferson Stein researched the Tohono O’odham Nation for two years and worked with the community on the subject matter of the film. He and the producers lived by the reservation during pre-production. Stein further explained this, by saying: "Awareness is the first thing. There were hundreds of stories that I heard while I was there that inspired moments of this project." The film is told over a 24-hour period, ending where it starts, done to highlight the cyclical nature of the separation of families at the border. The film was developed through fiscal sponsorship by

Film Independent The Independent Spirit Awards (abbreviated Spirit Awards and originally known as the FINDIE or Friends of Independents Awards), founded in 1984, are awards dedicated to independent filmmakers. Winners were typically presented with acrylic glass ...

Casting

The actors in the film had not acted before. Amaya Juan was discovered through the local Toka team, the women-only sport she plays in the film. Zuemmy Carrillo was cast during lunch at a Bilingual elementary school in nearby

Tucson , "(at the) base of the black ill , nicknames = "The Old Pueblo", "Optics Valley", "America's biggest small town" , image_map = , mapsize = 260px , map_caption = Interactive map ...

Filming

Principal photography took place over four days on the Tohono O'odham Nation Reservation.

Release

The film had its World Premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival on June 18, 2021.

Awards and nominations

References

External links

Official Site
* {{IMDb title, 11246630 2021 films 2021 drama films American drama short films Films set in Arizona Spanish-language American films Films about immigration Films about immigration to the United States Films about Native Americans Films about children Films about refugees 2020s American films