Nuyorican Dream chronicles the struggles and aspirations of a New York Puerto Rican family as they contend with the devastating effects of urban poverty. The film follows Robert Torres, Marta’s eldest son and the only one of his family to finish high school and college. College was supposed to lead to the American Dream, but the experience of transcending class has had the result of alienating Robert from his family.

Nuyorican Dream captures harrowing images of a family in crisis. Sisters Beti and Tati struggle with devastating drug addictions, brother Danny spends half his life in prison, and mother Marta supports the entire extended family through welfare and selling homemade pasteles and used clothing on the street. What emerges most strongly about the Gutierrez family is the fierce love and support that sustains them. Nuyorican Dream is not just about “making it” in America, but about making it with the family intact.

* World Premiere at the 2000 Sundance Film Festival. Winner of: the Audience Award at LA OUTFEST and at the New York Latino Film Festival, and the Joris Ivens Award at the Cinema du Reel Festival. Nominated by the International Documentary Association (IDA) in the Best Documentary category. Screened at dozens of film festivals worldwide.
*  Broadcast on Cinemax ReelLife in 2000. Distributed by California Newsreel.

DIRECTOR:

Laurie Collyer

PRODUCER:

Katy Chevigny, Laurie Collyer and Julia Pimsleur

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER:

John Leguizamo and Jellybean Benitez

ASSOCIATE PRODUCER:

Robert Torres

EDITOR:

Allan Title

CAMERA:

Aurora Agüero, Victoria Garza, Jaime Reyes

GENEROUS FUNDERS:

The Jerome Foundation, the Shelley and Donald Rubin Foundation, the Playboy Foundation, the Bay Area Video Coalition and the Women in Film Foundation

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