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“Expanding Narratives”: Filmmakers of Indigenous and African Descent Reflect on Community Distribution

Katia Barragán

The 4th Project Development Workshop for Filmmakers of Indigenous and African Descent was held as part of the 24th Morelia International Film Festival. The workshop is a Morelia Pro initiative, supported by Netflix and the Marigold Fund.

From October 14 to 18, the workshop provided guidance and support to ten film projects in development at the Clavijero Cultural Center in Morelia.

As part of the activities, a discussion titled “Expanding Narratives: Pathways to Distribution and Community Impact” was held and moderated by Amalia Córdova, with Alma Yoari Cizana López, Patricia Matus Alonso, and Sara Stephany Padilla in attendance.

During the session, the filmmakers shared their experiences in developing their projects, the challenges of production, and the importance of building distribution channels that bring their films to the communities they represent.

Matus Alonso and Cizana López discussed the difficulties of adapting stories that are complex due to their historical and social context for the screen, as well as the importance of complementing documentary research with cinematographic work.

“Yoari and I complement each other because I handle the research side and she handles the cinematographic side,” Matus Alonso explained, emphasizing the project’s documentary foundation.

Padilla shared her experience with Máscaras de tiempo (2026), a short documentary focused on the experiences of an Indigenous community and its traditional carnival. The filmmaker explained that they decided to hold the preview screening during the celebration itself, with the women who participated in it present, hoping to honor the community’s traditions and collective memory.

Similarly, the participants pointed out the need to expand distribution channels and create spaces so that independent productions can reach audiences beyond conventional circuits.

“What starts with an extension cord ends with a projector and a USB drive,” Padilla noted, referring to the alternatives that arise in the face of a lack of resources and screening venues. Matus Alonso agreed that the scarcity of these spaces poses a challenge for female filmmakers and emphasized the importance of continuing to promote their growth.

During the Q&A session, the filmmakers also addressed the administrative challenges of obtaining screening permits, as well as time and resource management for organizing community activities.

Cizana López explained that, at times, community screenings take place in homes and small spaces, which is not an ideal setting, but it’s what they can manage. Padilla also highlighted the importance of delegating responsibilities and distributing tasks to make the projects viable.

Reflecting on the relationship between filmmakers and communities, Matus Alonso noted that one of the main goals of these projects is to break down the barriers between those who portray and those who are portrayed, and to find ways to build together.

The discussion concluded with a call to strengthen distribution and viewing spaces, as well as to continue promoting filmmaking within communities of Indigenous and African descent.