The Short Life Of José Antonio Gutierrez's Film Bio
Website
theshortlife-film.com
Directors
Heidi Specogna
Festivals
Sundance, Locarno International Film Festival, Filmfest München, Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival (LALIFF), Festival do Rio, Djerba, Mill Valley Film Festival, Medimed Barcelona, Denver International Film Festival, Human Rights Watch Montreal, Leipzig International Film Festival, Göteborg Film Festival, HAIFA IFF Israel, Havanna Film Festival, San Francisco Latino International Film Festival
Professional Affiliations
Buy The Short Life of José Antonio Gutierrez on DVD !
The Short Life of José Antonio Gutierrez DVD will be available in the US on September 25th 2007, with dual Spanish or English packaging options, at the retail price of $24.98 USD. In Canada the DVD will be available on October 30th 2007.
Download The Short Life of José Antonio Gutierrez in Hi-definition !
José Antonio Gutierrez was one of the 300'000 soldiers sent by US Armed Forces to war in Iraq. A few hours after the war began, his picture was broadcast all over the world: he was the first American soldier to be killed in the war. He was there as a so-called 'green-card soldier' .. one of approximately 32 000, fighting in the ranks of the US Armed Forces for a foreign country.
The film tells the moving and nearly unbelievable story of a one-time street kid from Guatemala, who headed north along the Pan-American Highway .. full of hopes and desires for a better future .. ultimately to die an American hero far from home. Searching for the images and stories that made up this life, we set out to retrace José Antonio..s path .. from Guatemala through Mexico and into the USA. This story is told by the people who knew José Antonio: his friends from the street, the social workers at the orphanage, his sister, his foster family, his comrades at Camp Pendleton in the United States Marines.
But the narrators of the film are also the people we encountered as we were repeating José Antonio..s odyssey from the world of the poor to the world of the rich. People who day after day join the endless stream of emigrants .. with no identity, no papers .. equipped with nothing but their ability to work and their willingness to turn their backs on home and family forever. José Antonio..s story is no adventurer's tale. It is the story of an attempt to survive .. on both sides of the world.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ycZOgio48h4
Who I'd like to meet:
"A well-researched, graceful film."
- Lisa Schwarzbaum, ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY
"Sensitively and methodically tells the story of the first U.S. soldier killed in the 2003 Iraq invasion... distinguished by Specogna's intelligent and politically aware narration." - Robert Koehler, VARIETY
"An artful film.. a sad, illuminating story." - David Ansen, NEWSWEEK
"Profound... one of those docs that takes the life of an individual and surrounds it with other people's stories that are just as absorbing." - Michael Ferraro, FILM THREAT
"One of my favorite documentaries of the year is so timely that I'm saddened to learn that it still hasn't been widely distributed in the States since I saw it in January, even though it seems to fill a void in the public debate." - Rob Davis, ERRATA
"A superb miniature of globalization." - Patricia Aufderheide, IN THESE TIMES
"Several people have told me that they think The Short Life of Jos.. Antonio Gutierrez is the best film of the festival. It's surely one of the best." - GREEN CINE PARK CITY DISPATCH (Sundance report)
The Short Life Of José Antonio Gutierrez's Friend Space (Top 7)
The Short Life Of José Antonio Gutierrez has 736 friends.
“I am only one, but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something. And because I cannot do everything I will not refuse to do the something that I can do. ” — Helen Keller
The 12th Annual LA Shorts Fest returns to Hollywood August 15 – 21, 2008 at the Laemmle Sunset 5 Theaters. The largest short film festival premieres the best shorts in the world. In past years, 30 participants have earned Academy Award nominations, with 9 filmmakers actually taking home the Oscar. This is where entertainment professionals and trend setters discover the next hot new talents. 323-461-4400 www. lashortsfest. com
The 12th Annual LA Shorts Fest returns to Hollywood August 15 – 21, 2008 at the Laemmle Sunset 5 Theaters. The largest short film festival premieres the best shorts in the world. In past years, 30 participants have earned Academy Award nominations, with 9 filmmakers actually taking home the Oscar. This is where entertainment professionals and trend setters discover the next hot new talents. 323-461-4400 www. lashortsfest. com
My short film, LA CHIVA, is up for a vote to appear on next Saturday's shorts program on Channel 13. It is the story of my mother who at a very tender age lost her one and only best dress to the family goat, an animal needed for its milk. It's the story of an immigrant Mexican family and one that is a deep part of my heritage.
The film captures the soul of the hardships and triumphs endured by our ancestors. It's not just about me getting my film on television. For me, it's about giving the world a glimpse into the heart and soul of a real Latino family.
Recognize these Democratic members of Congress, and vote in a PROGRESSIVE DEMOCRATIC Candidate when their term is up!!
In the last decade the Blue Dog Caucus has systematically voted along Neo-Con ideology; bankrupting our economy through deregulation and outsourcing, bringing us into an occupation that has cost over a million innocent lives, and now is making sure that our VETS don't get the proper increases in benefits through the new GI bill !!!
If there's anyone who hasn't been redistricted yet, WAKE UP, and vote these people OUT !!!
AR, 4th - Mike Ross AR, 1st - Marion Berry AZ, 8th - Gabrielle Giffords AL, 5th - Bud Cramer CA, 47th - Loretta Sanchez CA, 29th - Adam Schiff CA, 43rd - Joe Baca CA, 20th - Jim Costa CA, 18th - Dennis Cardoza CA, 1st - Mike Thompson CO, 3rd - John Salazar CA, 36th - Jane Harman FL, 2nd - Allen Boyd FL, 16th - Tim Mahoney GA, 12th - John Barrow GA, 3rd - Jim Marshall GA, 2nd - Sanford Bishop GA, 13th - David Scott IN, 2nd - Joe Donnelly IL, 8th - Melissa Bean IN, 8th - Brad Ellsworth IN, 9th - Baron Hill IA, 3rd - Leonard Boswell KS, 3rd - Dennis Moore KY, 6th - Ben Chandler LA, 3rd - Charlie Melancon MS, 4th - Gene Taylor MA, 2nd - Mike Michaud MN, 7th - Collin Peterson NY, 24th - Mike Arcuri NY, 20th - Kirsten Gillibrand NY, 2nd - Steve Israel NC, 7th - Mike McIntyre NC, 11th - Heath Shuler ND - Earl Pomeroy OH, 18th - Zack Space OH, 6th - Charlie Wilson OK, 2nd - Dan Boren SD - Stephanie Herseth Sandlin PA, 10th - Chris Carney PA, 17th Tim Holden PA, 8th - Patrick Murphy TN, 5th - Jim Cooper TN, 4th - Lincoln Davis TN, 6th - Bart Gordon TN, 8th - John Tanner TX, 22nd - Nick Lampson UT, 2nd - Jim Matheson
Thank you for your support. We appreciate your request, and for helping to spread the word about VetFriends.com - in honor of our U.S. Veterans & Military.
Thanks for the add...hope to see the film soon! And thanks for making this film, I only wish people could see stories like this as often as they see recruitment commercials for the military. Peace!
“There comes a moment in one’s life when one realizes which are the morals one will do anything for, and nothing can change after this experience. We all have a conscience, it is part of what makes us human, its a beautiful gift. Unfortunately, over time we don’t listen to this inner voice, we abuse it and we lose our humanity.” – Agustin Aguayo
These Republican Senators voted against the Webb Amdt. No. 2909. Specifying minimum periods between deployment of units and members of the Armed Forces deployed for Operation Iraqi Freedom (O.I.L) and Operation Enduring Freedom.
Any FOUR of them could've changed their position on supporting our Men and Women in the Middle East, and DIDN'T !!!!
After having the blood of over 3000 Soldiers on their hands for 6 years, they've not listened to the voices of the Troops on the ground, they've not listened to the American citizenry, they've not listened to plain common sense, and it's clear that they want this occupation and any other conflict to be an unending, un-winnable meat grinder for our Troops. By virtue of this vote they Support our Troops in only a CLEARLY MEANINGLESS TWO FACED gesture.
REMEMBER THIS VOTE, every time you see a Republican Senatorial campaign sign, REMEMBER THIS VOTE, whenever you hear our corrupt leadership belittle activists for being unpatriotic, REMEMBER THIS VOTE and VOTE THEM OUT !!!
The FCC is allowing some frequencies to be availible to non-commercial radio station start-ups. The window ends in Oct., but if any musicians and grassroots orgs. have been looking for a way to invest in community radio, and have a budget of 10-20k, this is a great opportunity !!!
Our generation is plaugued with 90% neo-con talk media, and it's only going to get worse. This is an opportunity to actually compete with the right-wing media hammer, and directly compete with them on the very same frequency strength !!!
Listen to today's (Fri. 10th) show, and visit this site for more details.
The flowers that sleep by night, opened their gentle eyes and turned them to the day. The light, creation's mind, was everywhere, and all things owned its power.~Charles Dickens
Flowers instinctively know to face the light. We can learn so many good lessons from nature.
Last week Sen. Carl Levin D-MI, (one of the few Senators who never voted for any conflict in Iraq) got his Dignified Treatment of Wounded Warriors Act passed in Senate.
It's not an end to the occupation, but it's not cutting VA spending, and closing 14 VA hospitals like the neo-con majority did three years ago either.
Among other severance compensations, and medical care and counseling, this bill will provide for; the authorization of $50 million for improved diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of Soldiers with Traumatic Brian Injury (TBI) and (PTSD), and will provide for a "seamless" transition from DOD to VA care by requiring the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to jointly develop a comprehensive policy on the care and management of service members’ transition.
If you've some time let Carl Levin know, even though he could call for Impeachment, he's still doing a decent job.. :) http://levin.senate.gov/newsroom/release.cfm?id=279790].
