United States, 2022
Documentary, Music, Immigration
85 min, Color
English, Spanish; English subtitles

Doris Muñoz desperately longed for better representation in the indie music she listened to as a teenager. At 23, she took matters into her own hands and began a career in music talent management, passionately advocating for rising Latinx artists. Her swift success transformed her into a pillar for a community of first- and second-generation Americans seeking collective acceptance and healing through song. When Doris receives news that forces her to reconsider working in music, she finds Jacks Haupt, an auspicious young singer eager to break out of her parent’s home in Dallas, Texas. Beyond the sweet moments of joy, glitter, and hope, Doris and Jacks share the ever-present guilt of being the first American-born members of their undocumented families. For them, the pressure of financial success is heightened because it facilitates green card processing and family reunification. Mija is an immensely emotional and intimate portrait honoring the resilience of immigrants and their children. Director Isabel Castro’s debut feature constructs an ethereal love letter to their indomitable spirit in the face of constant instability, and heartily affirms that all humans have the right to shine and to dream. – Sundance Film Festival

Regional Premiere

Director’s Bio

Isabel Castro is a four-time Emmy-nominated, Mexican-American filmmaker who combines a practice in journalism and art to tell verite, character-driven stories. Mija is her feature-length debut.

Credits

Producer: Tabitha Breese, Yesenia Tlahuel, Isabel Castro
Production Companies: Cinereach
Screenwriter: Isabel Castro
Cinematographer: Isabel Castro, Luisa Conlon, Ora Dekornfeld
Editor: Alex Bohs, Ora Dekornfeld, Jennifer Tiexiera
Sound Design: Gisela Fulla-Silvestre, Veronica Lopez
Principle cast: Doris Muñoz, Jacks Haupt

Print Source: Marjon Javadi, marjon.javadi@disney.com