We sit down with award-winning filmmaker Tatti Ribeiro to discuss her feature debut, Valentina. Fresh off winning a Special Jury Award at the Florida Film Festival, Tatti dives deep into the unique hybrid construction of her film, a comedy that blurs the lines between narrative fiction and documentary reality.

Tatti explains the process of casting Keyla Monterroso Mejia (The Studio, Curb Your Enthusiasm) as the only professional actor in a world populated by real El Paso citizens, local officials, and even Keyla’s own family. Tatti discusses her desire to showcase the humor, hustle, and heart of the city she spent years reporting on as a journalist.

About the Movie:

Valentina follows a young woman navigating a series of bureaucratic mishaps at the El Paso-Juárez border. While the people, locations, and conversations are real, Valentina is not. Executive produced by Jessica Alba, this narrative feature debut is a rare, complex look at the systems that keep poor Americans poor, delivered with the vibe of a Richard Linklater slacker comedy.

Guest: Tatti Ribeiro (Filmmaker & Founder of franknews.us)

Follow the Film: @valentinamovie on Instagram for distribution updates.

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