Synopsis: Carlos and Nina enjoy a lively Christmas morning surrounded by toys. Upon the arrival of their extended family, tensions quickly rise between Miguel, father of Carlos, and his brother Sergio when Carlos is found wearing make-up and a dress. Later, while breaking the piñata, the situation come to a boiling point when Carlos fights his cousin.

Set within a Mexican-American household during Christmas Day, Natal tells the story of a young boy’s first encounter with heteronormative gender roles, and the confrontation between two brothers who may not agree on the traditional implications of masculinity after all.

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Hi there! My name is Luisa Maria and I am the writer and director of “Natal”, a short film inspired by my younger brother and our experiences growing up in a Mexican household. It is a story that touches on the pressing issues of machismo and homophobia within the Latine community, and showcases some of the ways by which these learned behaviors are passed from generation to generation. After watching, we hope our film inspires you to reexamine your relationship with gender norms and to continue cultivating a progressive, inclusive and compassionate understanding of gender.

Luisa Maria González is a Mexican-American director, writer and producer who seeks to tell stories that uplift, advocate and challenge the Latine community. She is a 20’ graduate from the RTF program at UT Austin and is currently based in Austin, TX. “Natal” marks her short film directorial debut.

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