Actress Melonie Diaz (1984)

The American film, The Cobbler (2014), directed and cowritten by Tom McCarthy with Paul Sado, tells the story of a New York City cobbler and his family. In the past, a group of Jewish men gathered in the shop to discuss a troublesome thug. The cobbler then showcases his special stitching machine to his son, emphasizing its significance. Presently, Max Simkin carries on the family business as the cobbler while his friend Jimmy runs the neighboring barber shop. Meanwhile, Carmen Herrera fights against realtors who want to destroy their neighborhood for development. ...

The film Fruitvale Station (2013), directed and written by Ryan Coogler, explores the events leading up to the death of 22-year-old Oscar Grant III from Hayward, California. The movie opens with actual footage of Oscar and his friends being held by BART Police at the Fruitvale station in Oakland on January 1, 2009 at 2:15 a.m., moments before the fatal shooting. Throughout the day, Oscar faces challenges such as infidelity in his relationship, losing his job at Farmer Joe’s grocery store, and considering returning to drug dealing before ultimately deciding to get rid of his stash. In the evening, he joins his ...

An American drama film, A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints (2006), is based on a memoir written by Dito Montiel. The story follows Dito’s youth in Astoria, New York during the 1980s. In present day (2005), we find Dito living in Los Angeles and working as a successful writer. Upon the urging of his mother, Flori, and friend, Nerf, he returns to his childhood home in Astoria when his father falls ill. The movie shifts between present day and flashbacks of Dito’s memories from the summer of 1986. During this time, Dito meets up with Nerf in a parked car to talk without interruption, since it wasn’t ...