Artistic Statement - from writer Johnny Sánchez
S.P.I.C. has won over 15 awards. Including: The Best of Fest (Blackbird Film Festival 2024), Best Female Filmmaker (FOLCS Int'l Short Film Festival 2024), Best Multi-Cultural Film (SPE Media Film Festival 2024), Best Actor (Southern California Int'l Film Festival 2024), Audience Choice Award (Phoenixville Film Festival 2024), Best Coming-of-Age Short (Manhattan Film Festival 2023), Best Filmmaker Award (Barebones Int'l Film Festival 2023), and Audience Award (Soho Int’l Film Festival 2023) -- but getting here wasn't easy.
I was 9-years-old when a white kid called me spic for the first time. This was the first of many times a white person would approach me this way. Obviously, I'm not the only one this has happened to. Here's personal testimony from someone who saw our film at a festival, these are their words:
"This morning a man got in my face. I didn't give him my attention, so he yelled, "Spic" twice, walked in front of me, spit at my feet. I thought about a short film I saw recently titled "S.P.I.C", @spicfilm, that spoke on reclaiming that derogatory term, and turning it into something powerful. So, I embodied that. I kept my cool, stayed in control, and kept walking... I will not let someone's word/opinion become my identity. I reframe this man's claim because, l am a Spanish Person in Control. S.P.I.C."
You can read the original IG post referenced above, here: https://www.instagram.com/p/Cx82jwQvcby/
This is why I wrote this film!
I want to mention that some people have asked me: “Why was Heidi Miami Marshall chosen as the director?” I understand the reason behind their question. After all, this is a heavily BIPOC themed film – and Heidi is a white woman.
To clearly answer them -- I, Johnny Sánchez (the screenwriter who's childhood is the inspiration behind this film), asked Heidi Miami Marshall to direct my film - and I did that because she has intimately known my family for over 2 decades. But worried that her being white would be a distraction for the film, Heidi said no. She felt that if she directed S.P.I.C. it might be rejected.
At that point, the 3 lead producers of the film (who are all Latino -- aka of Latiné descent) met with Heidi and the 3 of us reaffirmed our unanimous sentiment that we want her to direct the film due to her intimate knowledge of the real family behind this story.
The 3 lead producers also expressed to Heidi that one of the points behind Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is for BIPOC folks to be at the head of our own stories, and for us to have the right to choose who we want to work with. We knew we wanted Heidi Miami Marshall as the director of S.P.I.C. – and it was a unanimous choice between all the 3 lead producers - who are all Latiné. At that point, Heidi agreed to direct the film — and it has been a HUGE gift to see all the film festivals that have really, fully embraced our film. Without indie film festivals (in particular, those founded and/or co-founded by BIPOC folks), our film wouldn’t be gotten the attention it has.
But like I said above, getting here wasn't easy -- and I want to be transparent about that. When we first started our festival run, festivals solely founded by white folks 100% rejected us. BIPOC film festivals embraced us. I (Johnny) can confirm I spoke to a programmer who confirmed what I sensed. There was worry by white run film festivals to play S.P.I.C. because 1) the title scared them, and 2) a white woman directed it.
In my opinion, these "concerns" expressed by such white folks may seem like it's "politically correct", but they are only keeping important dialogue at bay, and it is all due to their white fear and white guilt masquerading as "woke, political correction". You either come correct or you don’t, because their attitude and approach simply gives more food to the extreme right. This is the ugly side of “respectability politics” and “politically correct”, and that approach destroys genuine diversity, equity and inclusion.
Fortunately, we've turned a corner and now S.P.I.C. is being embraced by ALL festivals (white and BIPOC run). The awards we've won at numerous different festivals is a testament to that. It was a hard climb to get here, but we are here.
MORE ABOUT THE TRUE STORY BEHIND THIS FILM -- THE REAL EVENTS THAT INSPIRED THIS STORY:
S.P.I.C. captures what I experienced as a Latino kid growing up in NYC. My parents arrived in the US as “illegal aliens” - my mother lead the charge seeking the American Dream. My parents hate me sharing this, they feel it’s a stigma, but the neighborhoods we lived in were riddled with crime and gang activity. Gangsters would see my dad working hard for minimal wages and they offered him fast money opportunities. I witnessed it. I was present, I was there.
That’s what many folks who don’t come from these environments don’t comprehend. Not every gangster is a “tough” guy, like Hollywood likes to make us think. Regular every day, folks who feel trapped in their situations also turn to crime. They are uncles, aunts, parents, grandparents, siblings, friends, neighbors. And NO ONE forces you to join. Otherwise, the moment trouble appears you'll be the first to abandon ship. These organizations thrive because the pains of an inhumane society foster the temptation to do such crimes.
America sells its “American Dream”, so worldwide people yearn to come to the USA. Once they arrive, they find the "Dream" has many traps. So much so, that many conversations are centered around getting out of their situations — by any means necessary. It’s such a common topic that, eventually, a child will eavesdrop into the adults talking and absorb their conversation like a sponge.
By the time I was 11-years-old, many childhood friends and relatives had joined gangs. One childhood friend said to me: “Johnny, I’m not gonna make it outta this neighborhood. But you, you got a chance with your acting thing”. He was a 14-years-old weapons dealer and felt crime was his only choice. I still carry that with me.
But I won’t lie, I too was tempted.
It’s not like my parents wanted this, but it’s what happens when you find yourself Lower-Class. I want to make this specific point very clear; it’s not just being a youth of color... it’s also lower-class. It’s the double whammy of class and race challenges. The idea of “I gotta do whatever I gotta do" is so prevalent in America that, of course, Lower-Class Youth who feel cut out of the "American Dream" might turn to crime.
One day, a drug dealer offered my fathered thousands of dollars to move "stuff” – and I heard about it. In all honesty, I too was susceptible to its temptation. I too wanted it, and I said to my father: "Dad, we can do this." S.P.I.C. explores this father-son journey.
As you can imagine; the issue of race has been in my life since I was very young. There's a scene in the film when our 3 kids speak about what is to be black and white. That conversation actually occurred when I was 11-years-old. American culture pervades world culture, and since race in the USA is defined mainly in binary (black & white), that race binary POV has now permeated the whole world.
When I visited Colombia and saw my family's diversity -- the Black (African) and Indigenous (Amerindian), as well as the Spaniard (White, European) -- it created a shift for me. Seeing my family upfront it was undeniable that we (as Latinés) are more than just 1 or 2 things... we actually break and defy the old unary and binary definitions of race. But due to America’s limited definitions of race, growing up I found myself struggling to understand the intricacy of my ("ternary") identity and history.
Colonization pushes BIPOC folks to approximate ourselves mainly to whiteness. So, I've had to work to embrace the Black (African) and Indigenous (aka Amerindian) in me, as well as the White (Caucasian/Spaniard) in me. I'm not just 1 or 2 colors, and I do not wish to value one more or less than the other.
As Latinos/Latinas/Latiné we're a "non-binary" rainbow. It's about claiming our full definition as Latinés. Otherwise, the damage will continue.
S.P.I.C. reflects my experiences as Latino a kid in the USA, with a highlight on the father-son journey. They're both looking for hope in a world of darkness and division. May this little film inspire audiences of all ages and backgrounds to also seek hope. In a conflict-ridden world you don't have to sell your soul. Of course, it’s not very easy to do, but it is 100% possible to achieve.
Thank you, all of you, for your support. Thank you for keeping important dialogue around race and class issues in the light.
I hope to share my film and story with you, and I hope to encourage further dialogue around these topics. Thank you for your time.
- Johnny Sánchez
- Actor, Writer, Producer
Artistic Statement - from Director Heidi Miami Marshall
I grew up in a small rural, southern town in the Appalachian Mountains of Virginia. When I first moved to Manhattan it was a huge, new world that burst my idea of what is America.
Years later, I met Johnny (my husband -- and the writer of our short). I moved to Queens with him and his LatinX family -- and that's when I truly realized the diversity of our country. That's when I saw what I now call The Real America. I've been immersed in my husband's LatinX family, culture, and community for over two decades.
When I first heard this story (based on real events that happened to him as child), I knew he had to tell it. This story is loosely inspired by events that Johnny experienced as a child growing up in New York City.
At first, he was reluctant to write about it, because it reveals certain scars and stigmas his family worked hard to overcome. After many conversations, he found a way he could write about it all. But both of his parents were very upset with him that he was going to reveal certain details about personal family experiences. Now that both of his parents have seen the film, and after everything they see happening to the world and within our nation, they are very proud and supportive of the project. They both even make small cameos in the movie. Making this project --bringing it to life has been important for his family and has generated immense purpose as it was created.
Making this project, bringing it to life has been a six-year journey; from development, to finding incredibly passionate collaborators, raising funds, and finally... making it. Especially since I’m a white female, I do not treat my responsibility as director to this project lightly.
Additionally, I feel proud to say that a highly diverse and wildly talented creative team brought this film to life. Including Producers Mathia Vargas and Carlos Ibarra, Cinematographer Jamal Solomon, Editor Franck Méndez, Casting Director Josy Rodriguez, Composers Orlando Perez Rosso and Melisa McGregor; who all collaborated brilliantly with the whole cast and crew.
Together, we have carefully crafted a story that we think is very personal and, at the same time, relatable to a wider audience. We hope you enjoy the film. We're excited to share it with audiences, and to encourage further dialogue around these issues. Let's create impact!
- Heidi Miami Marshall
- Director / Executive Producer
