Coming to PBS’s America ReFramed tomorrow, Tuesday, September 3:
COUNCILWOMAN
Director:
Margo Guernsey
World Premiere:
Big Sky Doc 2019
Select Festivals:
Workers Unite, Laborfest, Salem, Havana NY, CineLasAmericas, NY Dominican, Latino fests in Los Angeles, San Diego, Philadephia
About:
A portrait of a working-class Dominican politician in Providence.
Carmen Castillo is a full-time housekeeper in a Providence RI hotel. When she puts away her uniform, the Dominican immigrant switches gears to her other job: city councilwoman. With neither job alone paying sufficiently to make ends meet for her family, the resilient Castillo leads the charge for fair wages for working families. Dismissed as “just” a maid by some, she demonstrates the dignity of honest work and the power of grassroots organizing, particularly as her seat is challenged. While director Margo Guernsey struggles to adequately include Castillo’s personal life, the determined woman’s appealing personality still shines through. Though focused on local politics, and candid about its challenges, this smaller profile nevertheless speaks to the importance of political engagement.
