Inocente

Director:  Sean Fine,Andrea Nix-Fine
USA 40’, 2012, color
English with Turkish subtitles

Eighteen-year-old Inocente Izucar is one of an estimated 1.8 million undocumented children brought into the United States by their parents. Up until recently, she was also part of another staggering statistic: one of 1.5 million homeless American youth. But Inocente isn't just a number—she's a vibrant young artist who's putting a face on the issues of immigration and homelessness. Shine Global's award-winning documentary follows her as she establishes her life in San Diego (after moving 30 times in nine years) and uses art as a therapeutic means to deal with her legal and familial struggles. Neither sentimental nor sensational, INOCENTE will immerse you in the very real, day-to-day existence of a young girl who is battling a war that we never see. This film will usher you into the secret life she returns to at the end of every day, where she navigates the instability, despair, and neglect of a situation she must endure through no fault of her own. The challenges are staggering, but the hope in Inocente’s story proves that her circumstances not define her—her dreams do.

2013 Oscar Academy Winner for Best Documentary, Short Subjects