City College Student Featured at BAM’s Annual Film Short Shorts
Words by Kia Thomas
Graphic by Aspasia Celia Tsampas
Photos by Fernanda Parrado
"One way to study their flight is to catch and tag the butterflies. If caught again, the root of migration can be identified.”
The Brooklyn Academy of Music’s film division, BAMcinématek,holds a yearly showcase called Film School Shorts, which celebrates the premierwork of select student filmmakers. This year, City College student FernandaParrado’s Metamorphosis was chosen to be showcased at the premiere onSeptember 25th. A Brazilian filmmaker, Parrado’s inspiration for thefilm stemmed from her grandfather’s immigration to Brazil and her subsequentdecision to immigrate to the United States. In Metamorphosis, sheexplores themes of movement, identity, belonging and self-determination.
Using archival footage and 8mm footage, Parrado creates a nostalgic atmosphere for the viewer. We are thrown into a foregone world, much like Parrado’s home country, guided through the imagery by her soothing narration. She describes her grandfather’s need to collect memorabilia from his home country of Spain, his insistence in reminding Parrado that it is a part of her, too. She does not feel the same urge to hold on to her roots, choosing to indulge her freedom by moving from place to place. When she is Othered by her status of “immigrant” in the United States, she begins to see parallels between her and her grandfather’s migrations.
Parrado’s grandfather asks, “Why keep moving constantly?”Parrado replies, “I wanted my own rebirth.” The film comes at a critical timefor immigration in the United States. Under the current administration, thefreedom to move beyond borders is heavily limited. Parrado was able to migrateto the United States in search of herself. Parrado’s grandfather asks, “Why bean immigrant like me?” With families being separated at the border and ICE’smilitaristic state of control, the viewer must contemplate that too.
When freedom of movement is taken away, what does it meanfor one’s self-development? When we are limited to the borders we were bornwithin, are we limited to the selves we were born into? And how does thataffect a person’s metamorphosis?
Parrado dedicates this film “To all immigrants.”
Check out some images from the film below:
