My American Girls screenings and discussions

Monday, October 22, 2018

Screenings and discussion: Monday, October 22 at 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. in the Andrew Foster Auditorium and at 7:30 p.m. in Chapel Hall.

Filmed over the course of a year, this documentary follows the family of Sandra and Bautista Ortiz, hardworking immigrants living frugally in a multi-family house in Brooklyn, who dream of retiring to their native Dominican Republic. Their American-born and acculturated daughters have other ideas altogether. The conflict between the first generation’s values – attachment to their homeland, discipline and strong work ethic, clarity of goals and emphasis on family – and the independent outlook of their three girls form the moving and often humorous dramatic spine of the film.

Clockwise, from top left: Sandra Ortiz, Bautista Ortiz, Aida Ortiz, Monica Ortiz Rossi, Mayra Ortiz. Photo by Aaron Matthews.