Salvador Salazar &Andres Aurelio
Salvador Salazar:
Writer, filmmaker, and media educator who was raised and lives on Chicago's Southwest side. He teaches various filmmaking courses including stop motion and screenwriting to elementary school children and youths in the Midway and Little Village neighborhoods.
Andres Aurelio:
A cinematographer and director of a plethora of short-form documentaries such as "Pilsen" in 2018, "My Dad's Cassettes" in 2019, and "RAICES" in 2021 all of which premiered at the CHIFF's CineYouth Film Festival. Through the Chicago PBS-affiliate Judy and John McCarter Family Fellowship, he worked on the Emmy award-winning Docu-series, Art and Design in Chicago.
From the Filmmaker
"Salazar and Aurelio combine documentary filmmaking with narrative film by utilizing non-actors and collaborating with their stories to portray their predominantly Hispanic community on the Southwest side of Chicago full of working-class immigrants whose culture is painted all over the streets whether it be with art, food, or attitude."
Marias
On the hottest summer day, a group of cousins boil on their grandmother's plastic-covered couch. Kicked outside to play in the fire hydrant during her work break, one of the kids accidentally wets the meanest Doña on the block's infant grandchild. Now it is up to the oldest granddaughter to see if she has the courage to interrupt her grandmother's novelas.
SALVADOR SALAZAR, ANDRES AURELIO | Directors
OPEN CENTER FOR THE ARTS, SALVADOR SALAZAR, ANDRES AURELIO | Producers
Based on Chicago storytelling scene legend Lily Be's "Las Doñas of Humboldt Park". "Marias" was made in association with the Little Village nonprofit, OPEN Center of the Arts. Utilizing non-actors from the community as well as students from Pasteur Elementary's drama program to bring the story to life.
