DIRECTOR’S STATEMENT.

“I got involved with Backyard/Desert at a crucial point in my life back in 2018 when it only existed as a play. As a Latino creative, I found myself longing to find a theatrical piece that spoke to the issue of immigration the way this piece does.

So why THIS film & why NOW?

At it’s core, Backyard / Desert highlights the fact that individuals are dying while crossing the border and begs the question... what are we going to do about it? Rather than seeing migrants experience a flawed immigration system, Nancy Irene Kelly has done wonders by writing the film from the perspective of the people who are at the root of the problem: the individuals who enforce the biased laws. The film finds a way to interweave a series of complex conversations that highlight a false sense of patriotism and the ongoing border crisis while neither condoning or condemning the character’s political views.

This piece is so unbelievably important as it helps highlight many issues, but from a perspective that I believe can be extremely impactful for audiences everywhere. Getting the opportunity to adapt it for the screen with Nancy has been a joy and we cannot wait to see this film come to fruition.”

-Ethan Felizzari-Castillo (Director & Producer)