14-Minute Short Film, Drama, Fantasy
Director: Andrea McCracken
Writer: Andrea McCracken & Nora Alameddin
Principal Actors: Elizabeth Phoenix Caro, Garbriela Coro, Moises Chavez
Cinematographer: Ellin Aldana
Production Designer: Medhi Bennani
Editor: Vicky Guanquing
Elizabeth Phoenix Caro as Nina
How do you explain loss to a child? It’s a delicate matter, especially for children seeking asylum. Writer and director Andrea Camacho McCracken explores this challenging question in her short film, IN WONDERLAND” which premiered at the recent New York Latino Film Festival. The story revolves around Nina, portrayed by Elizabeth Phoenix Caro, an 8-year-old Mexican child who has recently crossed the US-Mexico border with her father.
One of the earliest scenes in the film occurs in a courtroom where a judge grants Nina asylum in the U.S. The way this scene is framed, along with McCracken’s skilled use of sound, immerses the audience in Nina’s experience, effectively conveying the overwhelming nature of the legal system to a child like Nina. She is in a foreign world, surrounded by unfamiliar faces, waiting for a translator to explain what a woman is asking. Her only response is, “Where is my father?”
IN WONDERLAND possesses a dreamlike quality, skillfully weaving together the unfolding events in Nina’s life with her inner emotional journey. The film’s ability to blend these elements captures the surreal and often disorienting experience of a child trying to adapt to a new environment. Nina is left to navigate the challenging process of adjusting to her new life in the U.S. where she now resides with her Aunt Carmen, played by Gabriela Coro.
Carmen tries to connect with her niece, but each attempt seems to push Nina further into her imagination as she clutches onto the one thing she brought from home: A cherished copy of “Alice in Wonderland.”
McCracken artfully frames Nina’s experience within the context of a fantastical tale about a little girl who falls down a rabbit hole. This creative approach in “In Wonderland” casts a gentle light on the otherwise harsh realities faced by immigrants particularly those who have had to cross the U.S-Mexico border.
Click here for Q&A with Film Director Andrea McCracken
J Perez can be reached at z3phouseestablishment@gmail.com