Thursday December 4, 2025 | 3:45PM-4:45PM

Greenleaf Conference Room  (1st Floor, Jones Hall)

Moderator: Carolina Sánchez (Tulane University)

About the Films

• Isabel Messina (Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana), Nuestras Historias

Five trans women open the intimate space of their memories to share the affections that have shaped their paths. Through their voices, an emotional cartography of trans life in Guatemala is revealed. The dynamics between presence and absence give rise to the intricate nature of existing and persisting—of being trans in a country where it means inhabiting the margins but also imagining and creating new ways of living. Messina’s first short documentary, Nuestras Historias, combines cinematic storytelling with anthropological inquiry to challenge dominant narratives and generate affective spaces of knowledge production.

• Ezra Remer (Tulane University), Powerful Little Island

Filmed entirely on-site in Dominica by DCRI board members Ezra Remer and Alex Musca, “Powerful Little Island” tells a story of disaster and resiliency post Hurricane-Maria. The documentary focuses on the struggles faced by Dominicans’ in the wake of Hurricane Maria, particularly on small farmers and coffee growers. Through first-person interviews and cinéma vérité production styles, the film immerses viewers in the essence of Dominica. While currently screening as a 9-minute short-documentary, the film will follow the progress of the initiative throughout the next five years eventually culminating in a length film.