Screening + Q&A: BDC Films Fellows

Join us for an evening celebrating the next generation of documentary filmmakers at the BDC Films Fellowship Screening. The program features original short documentaries created by fellows in the BDC Films Fellowship, a year-long program supporting traditionally underrepresented filmmakers pursuing documentary storytelling.

This year’s fellows, Carolina Herrera, Natalie Setoute, Aman Shahzad, and Ariel Portillo, present deeply personal and community-centered films exploring identity, resilience, migration, memory, and belonging.

Following the screening, audiences are invited to stay for a conversation with the filmmakers about their creative process, challenges, and experiences developing their projects through the fellowship.

Joseth
By Carolina Herrera

After leaving Colombia and seeking asylum in New York City, 14-year-old Joseth navigates the fragile transition between childhood and displacement. As his family struggles to rebuild their lives, he tries to adapt to an unfamiliar city while searching for stability, belonging, and a place to finally call home.

It’s Our Pleasure to Serve You
By Ariel Portillo

For decades, married couple Lina Vasquez and Javier Flores have made their living working at coffee carts on New York’s Upper West Side and in the Bronx. Their days are defined by long hours, physical labor, and the quiet determination required to sustain a livelihood in New York City. Rising at 1 a.m. to travel from Queens, their long days reflect the quiet sacrifices and resilience of working-class life.

El Amor Nunca Muere (Love Never Dies)
By Aman Shahzad

Despite losing his soulmate five years ago, Antonio keeps their love alive through the restaurant they started together.

The Way She Cooks
By Natalie Setoute

The Way She Cooks follows Natalie and her Grandmother as they shop, cook, and share a meal together, exploring family connection and the traditions passed down through food.