In her feature debut, Patricia Riggen offers a touching tale of the way the love between a mother and child can thrive and endure despite physical separation.
In La Misma Luna (The Same Moon), Riggen gives us the parallel stories of nine-year-old Carlitos and his mother, Rosario. In the hopes of providing a better life for her son, Rosario works illegally in the U.S. while her mother cares for Carlitos back in Mexico. Unexpected circumstances drive both Rosario and Carlitos to embark on their own journeys in a desperate attempt to reunite. Along the way, mother and son face challenges and obstacles but never lose hope that they will one day be together again. Riggen's film is not only a heartwarming family story; she also offers subtle commentary on the much-debated issue of illegal immigration.
Adeptly weaving the stories of mother and son, Riggen has created a poignant film that reminds us that the most important thing in life is the love of family. At every turn, La Misma Luna (The Same Moon) underscores the notion that geography is insignificant, for we are all under the same moon.
Jennifer Cochis
Screenwriter: Ligiah Villalobos
Producers: Patricia Riggen, Gerardo Barrera, Norman Dreyfuss, Ram Bergman, Ligiah Villalobos
Cinematographer : Checco Varese
Editor: Aleshka Ferrero
Production Designer: Carmen Gimenez Cacho
Music: Carlo Siliotto
Cast: Adrian Alonso, Kate del Castillo, Eugenio Derbez, Maya Zapata, Carmen Salinas, America Ferrera
Patricia Riggen was born in Guadalajara, Mexico, and holds an MFA in film direction from Columbia University. Riggen served as a creative executive for the Mexican Film Institute (IMCINE), where she produced short films, commercials, and documentaries. Her first short film, La Milpa, screened in more than 30 film festivals and won the Mexican Academy Award and the DGA Best Latino Student Filmmaker Award. Her next short, Family Portrait, won the Jury Prize in Short Filmmaking at Sundance in 2005 and was named best documentary film at the Aspen Short Film Festival.
Brian Dreyfuss
(310) 286-3200
brian@faatalent.com