Councilwoman
A film by Margo Guernsey
This film was screened as a part of the 2019 Cine Las Americas International Film Festival (CLAIFF22)
This feature was preceded by the short film Contramaré
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EdDewNmEg3I]
USA, Documentary/Political/Profile, 2019
57 min, Color
English, Spanish with English subtitles
Politicians aren’t often full-time hotel housekeepers, grandmothers, union members, and immigrants working service jobs. But Carmen Castillo changes that when she wins a seat on the City Council in Providence, Rhode Island. Carmen Castillo is a Dominican City Councilwoman who maintains her job cleaning hotel rooms as she takes on her new role in politics. She faces skeptics who say she doesn’t have the education to govern, the power of corporate interests who take a stand against her fight for a $15/hourly wage in the City, and a tough re-election against two contenders — all of this while balancing the challenges of managing a full-time job cleaning hotel rooms, and a personal relationship. It’s a journey behind the scenes of politics after the victory.
Regional Premiere
Biofilmography
Since 2012 Margo Guernsey has worked freelance as a director and producer of industrial videos in the Boston area. Over the past 20 years, Margo has worked as a union organizer, non-profit development director, Spanish/English translator and media instructor. She holds an MFA in Film (University of Miami), MA in History (Umass/Amherst), BA in History (Brown University), and is a Tribeca/Camden/CNNFilms Retreat Alumnus. COUNCILWOMAN is her first feature documentary.
Credits
Producer: Patricia Benabe
Production Companies: Time Travel Productions
Cinematographer: Nikki Bramley
Editor: Matt Cohn
Sound Design: Geof Thurber
Music: Angélica Negrón, E. Bayoán Ríos Escribano
Cast: Carmen Castillo
Print Source: Cinema Tropical, pilar@cinematropical.com