Raising Victor Vargas in 35mm

Raising Victor Vargas in 35mm

Introduction by co-writer, director Peter Sollett and co-writer Eva Vives.

Introduction by co-writer, director Peter Sollett and co-writer Eva Vives.

After getting caught in the bedroom of a girl considered undesirable by neighborhood peers, New York Dominican teen Victor Vargas (Victor Rasuk) strives to repair the fabricated illusion of his player image by setting his sights on popular Judy Ramirez (Judy Marte). As Judy entertains Victor’s advances, only so other boys stop hitting on her, Victor finds he’s developing feelings for her. The relationship acts as a reprieve from the chaos and pressures Victor experiences at home; he’s seen as a menace and bad influence by his strict religious grandmother, a nuisance by his sister, and an idol by his little brother.

DIRECTED BY: Peter Sollett. WRITTEN BY: Peter Sollett, Eva Vives. WITH: Victor Rasuk, Judy Marte, Melonie Diaz, Altagracia Guzman. 2002. 88 min. USA. Color. English. 35mm. Print courtesy of the Sundance Collection at the UCLA Film & Television Archive.

Academy Museum film programming generously funded by the Richard Roth Foundation. 

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