I Have No Tears, and I Must Cry
Maria Luisa is ready to escape immigration limbo, but when her green card interview takes an unexpected turn, she faces the anxiety of losing the life she had planned.
Interview with Writer/Director Luis Fernando Puente
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
This film is about Maria Luisa and her husband Jorge as they are interviewed by a US immigration officer for Maria Luisa’s green card approval. My wife and I are Mexican immigrants to the US, and this film is based on her real-life green card interview. Something I rarely see portrayed in film or television is the bureaucratic side of immigration. Yet, it is a topic that is frequented often in immigrant communities.
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
A lot of people don’t realize what the “right” way of immigration looks like, and it’s a lot of lengthy and confusing forms. Between filing these forms, you enter long periods of limbo in which you don’t know if you’ll make it or not. For a seemingly mundane process, the stakes are high. You may be granted an immigration status whether that be a visa, green card, or citizenship or you get deported. On top of that, immigrants often have to pay thousands of dollars in filing fees, and this is before any lawyer fees come into the mix.
All of this culminates in that one interview in which you hope that the person in front of you, who is a human being, woke up in a good mood so that they grant you legal immigration status. I want to provide a glimpse into this reality that I hope garners empathy for the thousands and thousands of immigrants that go through this process every single day.
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
The story of immigration for a lot of people, at its core, is about seeking prosperity. Anyone looks for a better life in their future, for immigrants that means moving to a different country and going through a rigorous process to do so, but for others, it can be as simple as making the decision to buy a "stupid couch" like Maria Luisa does at the end of the film.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?
Since the script was based on real life, most of the story and dialogue stayed the same throughout. The one major change it had while in the writing process was the last scene. After the first few drafts, I decided to add the last scene to provide a full arc for Maria Luisa's character.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
I've received mostly positive feedback on the story, and the visual decisions on the story. The choices to shoot very tight and creating a claustrophobic environment seem to work for many. I've even had someone mention that it feels like more of a thriller than a traditional drama.
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
It's been interesting hearing people interpret the USCIS officer. People have been quick to catch on to the fact that this is a jaded worker who just wants to clock out at 5 PM, but others have read her to be more malicious. It's worked for most people, but for a few others, they were expecting something different. I try to be as honest as possible in my portrayals of antagonistic characters, but I'm always willing to listen and learn.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
I'm hoping people watch this story and ask themselves questions about what immigrants have to go through every day. The bigger an audience this film reaches, the more I'm hoping to provoke those kinds of questions.
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
Producers, sales agents, distributors, investors. I'm working on the feature film version of the film, so anyone interested in helping expand the story is welcome to watch and contact me about it.
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
I'd love for anyone who lives in their country of birth to look at those who have had to migrate with different eyes. In an ever-growing globalized world, immigrants enrich society, culture, and economy, but at the same time, anti-immigrant rhetoric born from political interest and fueled by ignorance, plagues the conversation. I seek to shed light on realities, away from politics, and just talk about individuals. I want immigrants like myself to feel seen.
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
A lot of people don't know that the US immigration system was created in the late 60s, and has not changed much at all. If people ask, what can change, if it should change, and how it can change, then it can create the right conversation. There is no reason immigration should be this difficult.
Would you like to add anything else?
Even though the film is very personal, the amount of connection and responses I've had from the immigrant community have been overwhelming. Many people are connecting with it, and that in itself is the best review I could ask for.
What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?
Luis is currently developing I Have No Tears, and I Must Cry for a feature film, as well as developing a few other shorts he'd like to approach with other subject matters, and genres. One of those shorts, he is co-writing and co-directing with Lizde Arias, whom he recently collaborated with on a short film called El Moño, and whose story was the inspiration for I Have No Tears, and I Must Cry.
Rollins Wimber is currently working on videogame production and is seeking opportunities to work on more video game projects.
Interview: June 2023
We Are Moving Stories embraces new voices in drama, documentary, animation, TV, web series, music video, women's films, LGBTQIA+, POC, First Nations, scifi, supernatural, horror, world cinema. If you have just made a film - we'd love to hear from you. Or if you know a filmmaker - can you recommend us? More info: Carmela
I Have No Tears, and I Must Cry
Maria Luisa is ready to escape immigration limbo, but when her green card interview takes an unexpected turn, she faces the anxiety of losing the life she had planned.
Length: 13:00
Director: Luis Fernando Puente
Producer: Rollins Wimber
Writer: Luis Fernando Puente
About the writer, director and producer:
Born in Monterrey, Mexico, LUIS FERNANDO PUENTE emigrated to Texas during his childhood. He studied Media Arts at Brigham Young University, where he learned to develop his voice as a filmmaker. His work currently focuses on the experience of immigrants living in the United States.
Key cast: Alejandra Herrera (Maria Luisa), Enoc Oteo (Jorge), Cherie Julander (Immigration officer)
Looking for: sales agents, distributors, journalists
Instagram: @luisfernando.puente
Hashtags used: #IHaveNoTears
Funders: Kickstarter
Where can I watch it next and in the coming month?
Palm Springs ShortFest