Pati Cruz Martínez

Born cuir (queer) and brought up catholic in the colonized archipelago of Borikén (Puerto Rico). The catholic slowly disappeared, the cuir stuck around. Obtained a Bachelor of Arts with a major in Film Studies at Vassar College, in Poughkeepsie, New York (2012), and studied Film Directing at the International School of Film and TV in San Antonio de los Baños, Cuba (2015-2018). In 2019, they co-wrote and directed the short film “La amante” (“The Mistress”) which has been selected at international film festivals, such as Raindance Film Festival, trinidad+tobago film festival, Philadelphia Latino Film Festival (LOLA award), and Reeling: The Chicago LGBTQ+ International Film Festival (Silver Image Award). Their video art piece “pari/no/pari”, (2020) made during the pandemic of COVID-19, was shown at the online exhibition aquí estamos / here we are by the Queer Cultural Center in the Bay Area. Pati was a Leslie Lohman Museum Artist Fellow (2020-21). They currently work as a Freelance Editor, Writer, and Videographer, as well as Audiovisual Coordinator for the nonprofit organization La Maraña in Borikén.

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ABOUT Nació Simón

"Nació Simón" seeks to get to know Lis and their drag persona, Simón. It explores the drag show not only as entertainment, but also as an artistic manifestation of the performer. Lis is shown in their daily life: working, taking care of her kids as a young/queer/non-binary mother, surviving the colonial landscape of the island, and how their identity faces or opposes the heteronormative society (one filled with prejudices and violence in its gender roles). The documentary explores the blurry lines between who is Lis and who is Simón – their differences and meeting points – delving into the birth or construction of Simón. The process is shown via scenes formed in a verité style, and casual conversations between Lis/Simón and the filmmakers.

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FILM