Three hours from Mexico City, at-risk boys thrive in a rural group home that offers counseling, job training, and perhaps most importantly, hope, something that few of the young residents have ever experienced. The title of this quietly observant documentary from Oakland filmmaker Nicole Opper refers to the most anticipated day at the facility—or the most heartbreaking, as in the case of lonely teenager Juan Carlos, a runaway who longs to reconnect with the father who abandoned him years ago. The film traces Juan’s complicated emotional journey, as he bonds with his new brothers at the home tending goats and working in their factory where they produce artisanal cheese. The journey is not without conflict or tears, but ultimately Visitor’s Day is an uplifting story of transformation and renewal and the possibility of a brighter future.
Guest in attendance 10/13, 10/14 & 10/16: Nicole Opper (director)
In association with Hanna Boys Center
PRECEDED BY
Finding Justice: Ending the School to Prison Pipeline
US 2016, 17 min
Director Vincent Cortez
One Latino boy’s journey through the YMCA Marin County Youth Court demonstrates how a unique peer-to-peer program can give troubled teens a second chance.
Guests in attendance 10/13, 10/14 & 10/16: Vincent Cortez (director), Don Carney (executive producer)