La Leyenda Negra

This bilingual coming-of-age indie film tells a difficult and complex story about what it's like for a young immigrant woman still discovering who she is while facing the fear of an uncertain future. As Aleteia's story unfolds, it is propped up against "la leyenda negra" (the black legend), which some argue is a myth created by British Protestants to inaccurately portray Spanish Catholics as cruel and intolerant colonizers. For Aleteia, it is the U.S. government that is now the source of persecution against her people, as it reinforces the institutionalized racism and homophobia that she is forced to navigate, and fight against, to survive.

The film is shot in black and white, highlighting the stark choices that Aleteia, and young people like her, are being forced to make. The actors, who were cast from local Compton high schools, authentically recreate the lived experiences of many Latinx youth in the area. But what makes La Leyenda Negra so compelling is the simple but powerful way it portrays a strong, young, Latinx woman who -- after growing up in the United States legally -- suddenly finds her hopes for a better future slipping away while being threatened with criminalization and deportation to a country she has never known. It is a poignant and honest reminder of the fears and uncertainties many young immigrants are living with in today's America.