Guest Contributor: Lynne Doupe Gonzalez, lifelong friend, avid viewer of foreign/art films, immigrant to Chile 1968-1972, and subsequently to Canada. Currently residing on the Sunshine Coast, British Columbia.
“Matrem caritatum”, mother love, is a powerful emotion. Passionate, yet steely, she defends her child, above all else. This drive is poignantly embodied by actor, Paola Mendoza, who portrays a Colombian immigrant mother with two children in Queens, NYC, abandoned by her husband and left to cope financially and emotionally on her own. From collecting bottles for cash, to making empanadas to sell on the street, she provides the ballast for her “ninos”, while teaching them to work together in order to survive. From this bond comes the title “Entre Nos” (Nosotros), or “Between Us”.While there is often kindness shown to them from fellow street people, there is a notable absence of government support or programs. If honored, one begins to imagine the incredible impact of talent, fortitude and diversity that the immigrant community could have on the very fabric of our society. Paola Mendoza is not only the principal actor and co-writer/director of “Entre Nos”, but also the actual daughter in the real life story upon which the film is based. This is her moving tribute to the power of love and to all mothers, but to one, in particular. Given the current immigration crises worldwide, this film resonates across borders.
New York Cynic 