On Friday, the Avalon Theater filled with friends and supporters of Holly and Paul Fine, whose son and daughter-in-law Sean Fine and Andrea Nix-Fine earned Academy Awards earlier this year for a short documentary film, Inocente.
The evening included a showing of the film as well as an intimate question and answer session with the filmmakers, Inocente and Matt D’Arriggo, of ARTS (A Reason To Survive.) Much of the conversation surrounded the film and what it was like to win an Oscar. Yet, even more fascinating than the film itself, was the subject of the film, Inocente, and her remarkable tenacity.
Inocente grew up as an undocumented immigrant in San Diego; homeless throughout her entire childhood. “Being homeless means always moving” she said, “we never lived in one place longer than 3 months before being evicted. But just because I’m homeless doesn’t mean I don’t have a life because I do have a life”, she quips in the film. And then, the filmmakers went on to show us Inocente’s life, day after day, making art and independently making her way in the city.
The film tracks a season in Inocente’s 15th year. After being selected to participate in a special arts program for homeless youth, Inocente’s talents and passion earned her the prize of a one-person art show. The film depicts Inocente’s daily life as she prepares for the show, and at the same time, moves out on her own. It also portrays the impact of an arts program on one individual. It seems obvious that the ARTS program saved and transformed Inocente’s life.
Most fascinating was Inocente’s ability to keep beauty, bright colors, happiness, love and a light-spirited playfulness central in her imagination. In her dark world, with bleak prospects, physical abuse, fear, rejection and no signs of hope, this 15 year old girl carried and created beauty every day. With whimsical facial makeup, a colorful wardrobe, and artwork that looks like it came out of a Peter Max retrospective, Inocente blazed a sparkling visual trail of happiness and beauty with everything she touched.
The filmmakers showed us Inocente at work – and her use of art materials was outrageously expansive. Digging her hands deep into paint cans and pouring, smooshing, clumping, splashing paint onto giant canvases and boards, dumping entire cans of glitter, Inocente poured herself into her artwork, and the materials seemed to rise up to meet her. With brilliant hues, swirling masses of hearts, flowers, swirling lines and abstract shapes, Inocente brought the depths of her imagination out for the world to see. How on earth could a homeless child focus so much attention on beauty and pop color?
The power of imagination.
The power of one man’s vision to change lives through the arts.
The power of the arts to heal.
Inocente – artist….creator…inspiration….teacher.
Inocente Official Trailer from Shine Global on Vimeo.
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