ABRAZOS tells the story of the transformational journey of a group of U.S. citizen children who travel 3,000 miles, from Minnesota to Guatemala, to meet their grandparents for the first time. After being separated for nearly two decades, these families are able to share stories, strengthen traditions and begin to reconstruct their cultural identity.
In the process of filming several of my most recent documentaries, I have witnessed the negative consequences of familial separation caused by a broken immigration system. The ones most affected by this separation are the children. During one of my trips to the Midwest, I met Lisa Kremer who told me about Abuelos y Nietos Juntos, a project of family reunification between the sons and daughters of Guatemalan immigrants in Worthington, Minnesota and their grandparents in San Marcos, Guatemala. I was inspired by the idea and decided to make a film about the trip of these kids and their families.
My crew and I were able to document this emotional pilgrimage. By interviewing the children, parents and grandparents before, during, and after the trip we were able to capture the entire experience.