Forbidden: trailer from Pony Pictures on Vimeo.
Forbidden: Undocumented & Queer in Rural America, Moises Serrano’s story of advocacy for justice and equality in the Deep South as an undocumented gay man was honored by The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) Saturday at The Charlotte Film Festival.
The Social Justice Award, presented in partnership with the film festival, is SPLC’s first-ever filmmaking award and recognizes an outstanding film that seeks justice, enlightens and informs an audience about people who are marginalized, devalued or vulnerable in society.
“Forbidden gives a powerful voice to undocumented immigrants and the LGBT community by showing in vivid detail the experiences of these communities,” said Lecia Brooks, SPLC outreach director. “Anybody who believes that immigration reform should simply be deporting people like Moises must watch this film to see the real lives and families affected by our nation’s immigration policies.”
Growing up in rural North Carolina, Moises Serrano fell in love with a country that refused to recognize his full humanity – both as an undocumented immigrant and as a gay man. The documentary project Forbidden follows Moises’ personal journey as an activist fighting for the American Dream.
“Moises embodies the lived experience of the Dreamers,” Brooks said, referring to the young people who could benefit from the DREAM Act, a proposed law that would provide undocumented minors with provisional residency and eventually permanent residency after meeting certain conditions.
The film makes clear that an immigration policy based on executive orders from the president isn’t enough. Serrano’s family needs comprehensive immigration reform that would provide relief for his 33-year-old sister as well as his parents.
Read more on the SPLC award here.
