Clemente

Clemente Trailer

Synopsis

Pablo Véliz, director of the 2006 official Sundance selection, “La Tragedia de Macario,” creates his second feature film, Clemente, in honor of the continuous immigrant struggle in America. Clemente an immigrant from Mexico, lives with his wife Lorena and daughter Dalia in San Antonio, Texas where he works as a mechanic, and as a luchador on the weekends. Lorena, an American from a Mexican family understands the complexities of her husband’s legal status and tries to assist him in getting his green card. She visits her lawyer to see what progress has been made on her husband’s case, only to find that his story is one among many and that it takes years to receive legal status. Clemente, a loving father and husband, struggles to keep his family united amidst poverty and the ever-present immigrant oppression they face daily. Despite all of his efforts, misfortune arrives when Clemente is deported, breaking up his family and launching him in a journey back home that challenges his life and faith.

Clemente is based on the real-life story of a Mexican immigrant family struggling to survive in the United States. In the film, Véliz illustrates the harsh reality that many immigrant families face while trying to stay united amidst their illegal status, and with the constant threat of deportation. “With the recent immigration debate, and the deportation raids occurring across the nation, this film shows the struggle that immigrant families living in the United States face on daily basis,” says Véliz. Véliz’s first film, La Tragedia de Macario, won numerous awards including selection into the 2006 Sundance Film Festival, the 2006 Santa Barbara International Film Festival and the 2006 South by Southwest Film Festival. La Tragedia de Macario was based on the worst immigrant tragedy in the history of America where 19 immigrants died of asphyxiation, dehydration and heat exposure inside of a locked, double-insulated trailer truck while trying to cross the U.S.-Mexican border. For additional information about the upcoming film along with interview requests, please contact Giovanna Colson-Basurto at 210.267.7732 or email at giovanna@cineveliz.com. CINEVELIZ, INC. is a production company based in San Antonio. Comprised by a group of filmmakers CINEVELIZ’s goals are to create inspiring films. Executive Director, Pablo Véliz established the company in 2005 and since then has produced one feature film, and is currently producing his next.