Documentary filmmaker on campus April 28

Luis Argueta, an award-winning documentary filmmaker, will be at Cornell College on April 28 to present his new documentary, “Abrazos.” The screening will start at 11:30 a.m. in the Hedges Conference Room in the Thomas Commons with an introduction by Argueta, followed by the film and a Q&A session.

Argueta alo made “The Silence of Neto” and “abUSed: The Postville Raid.” “Arbrazos” tells the story of the transformative journey of a group of U.S. children who travel from Minnesota to Guatemala to meet their grandparents for the first time. After being separated for nearly two decades, these families are able to share stories, strengthen traditions and begin to reconstruct their cultural identity. There are 4.5 million U.S .citizen children living with at least one undocumented parent. This is the story of 14 of them.

Even though they are entitled to the same rights and freedoms as all Americans, many of these children grow up with the constant fear of separation from their parents. In addition, never having met their grandparents or other family members, they don’t have a clear sense of who they are and their heritage. All of these things negatively impact their welfare and that of society. “Abrazos” resonates with the lives and family histories of every American citizen no matter where they come from.