by Natalie Smith

On Thursday, November 17^th, I attended A New View Film Series’ screening of Inocente, a documentary following a young artist who struggles with being a homeless, undocumented immigrant. The film had a greater impact on me than I imagined that it would. Art has never been an area that I was particularly interested in, so the idea of a film centering on an artist’s life didn’t appeal to me at first. I found that the film is about so much more than one artist’s journey. It tackles the complicated issues of immigration, homelessness, domestic violence, and poverty while outlining the positive impact art has had on this young girl’s life. For Inocente, art is a way of survival. While watching her journey to find positivity, I found myself wanting to hear from others in her position to see how they have responded as well. The audience discussion following the film was a powerful addition to this experience. Some audience members brought up stories from their personal lives and how the film sheds light on truth. Others talked about the greater problems in society that lead to the issues seen on screen. One student analyzed public policy and debated which was better: giving each child a paint set so everyone has a chance, but might not get far, or focusing in on one person and helping them flourish to great potential, but not letting every student experience art. Overall, I gained many new perspectives on a topic I didn’t think a lot about from watching this film.