Maria Altamirano

All Dirt Roads Taste of Salt

Tender caresses and enveloping embraces are portals into the life of Mack, a Black woman in Mississippi. Winding through the anticipation, love, and heartbreak she experiences from childhood to adulthood, the expressionist journey is an ode to connection — with loved ones and with place.

Son of Monarchs

A Mexican biologist living in New York returns to his hometown, nestled in the majestic butterfly forests of Michoacán. The journey forces him to confront past traumas and reflect on his hybrid identity, sparking a personal metamorphosis.

Washed Away

A teenage girl in an evangelical church youth group must deal with the fallout when her trust is publicly betrayed.

Nettles

Nettles are stinging plants. In six chapters, this short film explores stinging moments in the lives of different girls and women.

Untitled Short Film About White People

In an effort to rid herself of guilt for gentrifying the neighborhood, a WASPy young woman aggressively attempts to befriend the Indian woman who works at the bodega on her block.

Life After

Based in New York City, “Life After” is about Nisha, a single mother and Indian immigrant living in Queens. After her only child, Zara, passes away unexpectedly, Nisha decides to learn about her daughter’s life in Manhattan. Out of her element, Nisha is forced to examine parts of who her daughter was that she had tried to ignore. Most significantly, Zara’s sexual orientation. Only through meeting her daughter’s partner, does Nisha finally begin to grieve the loss of her child.

Give Up the Ghost

Floyd has worked his whole life. One day, while out a new job, he discovers something that alters his way of thinking.