Participatory Action Filmmaking Workshop

Filmmaking brothers Eli and Kahlil Jacobs-Fantauzzi document people’s stories from around the world to expand community awareness around issues of social responsibility and cultural identity. In their latest collaborative film project, they document the story of young citizens becoming community leaders in the wake of Hurricane María in Comerío, Puerto Rico. This workshop will focus on affecting change through the filmmaking process and is open to anyone who is interested in trying their hand at filmmaking. The workshop is in tandem with an April 14, 2023 film screening of We Still Here / Nos Tenemos from 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.

We Still Here / Nos Tenemos introduces the youth of the small town of Comerío, Puerto Rico, navigating the aftermath of Hurricane María, a disaster that in 2017 brought an unprecedented level of devastation to an island already in an economic and political crisis. In the lush mountains in the center of Puerto Rico, 24-year-old Mariangelie Ortíz leads a group of young residents who never thought they would become the leaders of their community, nonetheless find themselves traveling to Washington D.C. to protest in the halls of Congress. This is a coming-of-age story where young people find their power to begin creating a sustainable future for themselves and their community. We Still Here / Nos Tenemos is a 1-hour documentary film in Spanish and English with subtitles for both languages. The screening will be followed by a community dialogue with filmmakers Eli Jacobs-Fantauzzi and Khalil Jacobs-Fantauzzi.

Eli Jacobs-Fantauzzi is an award-winning filmmaker, founder of FistUp.TV, a media platform uplifting and telling stories from underrepresented communities across the world. His work has circulated through National Broadcast: Free Speech TV, Teaching Channel, and PBS. Online he has created content for Remezcla, okayafrica, TIDAL, and VIBE. Eli is the co-founder of Defend Puerto Rico, a multimedia project designed to document and celebrate Puerto Rican creativity, resilience, and resistance. His dedication to his craft is deeply connected to his commitment to social justice and his belief in the transformative power of film.

Kahlil Jacobs-Fantauzzi is a producer at Clenched Fist Productions- a media company dedicated to documenting the use of music and culture as a tool for social justice. He has teamed up with his brother Eli Jacobs-Fantauzzi on three award-winning documentary films: We Still Here / Nos Tenemos being the most recent. Kahlil completed his bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary studies from UC Berkeley and a master’s degree in education and technology from the University of San Francisco.

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