Photo Report: Navigating a Difficult Conversation on Immigration Through Art and Film

Audience members in darkened auditorium watch an experimental film by UVA arts professor Federico Cuatlacuatl.

The Nov. 12 Enabling Difficult Conversations event featured the premiere of a new video project by associate professor of art Federico Cuatlacuatl. Titled "Quemar las Patas del Imperio," the project includes four short films exploring the topics of immigration, migration and undocumentedness.

Photo credit: Evan Kutsko

Cuatlacuatl’s “Quemar Las Patas del Imperio” video project will be screened again this weekend at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts as part of the Pocahontas Reframed Film Festival on Nov. 22. Arts & Sciences' "Enabling Difficult Conversations" series opened a new chapter last week at UVA’s Contemplative Sciences Center with the Nov. 12 premiere of "Quemar las Patas del Imperio” (To Burn the Feet of the Empire), four experimental films by Federico Cuatlacuatl, UVA’s Horace W. Goldsmith Distinguished Teaching Associate Professor in the Humanities.

Federico Cuatlacuatl speaking to audience from lectern. — Associate professor Federico Cuatlacuatl addresses the audience at the Nov. 12 Embracing Difficult Series event before the premiere of his four new experimental films. Photo credit: Evan Kutsko

Exploring the topics of immigration, migration and undocumentedness, the film project's screening was followed by a public conversation between Cuatlacuatl, UVA Tribal Liaison Kody Grant and Erika Hirugami, curator of the Global Spanish Initiative’s recently concluded “Fuego Eterno: Soberania Visuales” exhibition. The event was part of Global Week at UVA, a celebration of international perspectives and cross-cultural dialogue across Grounds.

Ranging from nine to 15 minutes in length, Cuatlacuatl's new films explore the topics of immigration, migration and undocumentedness.

Five featured speakers at the Nov. 12 Enabling Difficult Conversations film screening stand on stage in front of a large screen featuring an image from one of Federico Cuatlacuatl's experimental films. — (L to R) Federico Cuatlacuatl, Global Spanish Initiative director Sam Amago, curator Erika Hirugami, A&S Dean Christa Acampora and UVA Tribal Liaison Kody Grant. Photo credit: Evan Kutsko

Cuatlacuatl's art and academic research is informed by his experience growing up as an undocumented U.S. immigrant who held DACA status under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. Cuatlacuatl examines the pressing realities and social, political and cultural issues faced by undocumented Latino immigrants in the United States; his art and independent productions have been screened in various national and international film festivals in Mexico, the United States, Canada, India, Paris and across Europe.

Check out more of A&S Marketing's associate director of content Evan Kutsko's photos from the Enabling Difficult Conversations premiere of Cuatlacuatl's films and the panel discussion that followed.

Close up photo of individuals watching a movie. Reclining individuals watch move while laying on their backs in theater. A row of audience members concentrate on a film screening. A young man leans forward in his seat as he watches a short film. From the back, a photo of two audience members turned toward the screen watching a movie. From the back row, audience members at a recent Enabling Difficulty Conversations event watch a film. UVA Tribal Liaison Kody Grant speaks with hand outstretched during panel discussion. Federico Cuatlacuatl speaks into microphone during panel discussion as two other panelists listen.

Cuatlacuatl’s “Quemar Las Patas del Imperio” video project will be screened again this weekend at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts as part of the Pocahontas Reframed Film Festival on Nov. 22.