A trans mermaid puppet fights conquistadors in 11 minutes. Your move, Disney.
When a trans Latinx mermaid defies her mother’s warnings, she is forced to confront the violent legacies of colonialism, environmental destruction and the danger of being desired in the human world. The BlackStar Philadelphia Filmmaker Lab is presented with support from Independence Public Media Foundation, William Penn Foundation, and Wyncote Foundation. This project has been supported by The Philadelphia Independent Media Fund administered by Scribe Video Center with funds provided by the Independence Public Media Foundation and the Wyncote Foundation.
Practical Effects
Hand-puppet mermaid expresses more emotion than most CGI.
Direction
Sotomayor packs feature-length ideas into 11 minutes.
Production
DIY aesthetic as intentional political choice, not budget limit.
Director
Kristal Sotomayor
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Made through BlackStar's Philadelphia Filmmaker Lab, explicitly centering Black, brown, and Indigenous experimental voices outside industry gatekeeping.
The puppet medium itself critiques Disney's corporate mermaid industrial complex while reclaiming folk storytelling traditions.
No ratings yet
Sign in to join the discussion — comments are spoiler-gated to your watch progress.
Discussion starters
US
