The Rights of Butterflies

THE RIGHTS OF BUTTERFLIES

Conceived and directed by Laura Moya, a Montgomery College student, who approached the Gandhi Brigade to help in the production of the film.

Her vision was to focus on the story of Katya, a hard working student who is involved in her community, to expose the difficulties that an undocumented student has in continuing their college education. During the summer of 2011, she worked with Laurel Gwizdak, a professional filmmaker, and a team of Gandhi Brigade youth to realize this project.

SYNOPSIS

The Rights of Butterflies tells the story of Katya, an undocumented student in Montgomery County, and her struggle to fund and continue her college education due to her legal status.

In the film, we learn about Katya’s personal sacrifices in coming to the United States, her transition into the Silver Spring Area, where she constructs a sense of home, and her perseverance to achieve her ambitions in continuing her education and excelling as a professional.

The Rights of Butterflies from Gandhi Brigade on Vimeo.

Screenings
Bethesda Film Festival, at Imagination Stage on Saturday, March 23, 2013 , 8pm
4908 Auburn Ave Bethesda, MD 20814
(301) 280-1660

American Dream Group at American University in Ward 1, Wednesday, March 27, 2013, 7pm-9pm
Massachusettes Ave, Washington, DC 20016
(202) 885-3900

*If you would like to organize a screening of The Rights of Butterflies, please contact Valerie at [email protected] or call 301 588 1399.
You can order the Rights of Butterflies DVD through our store.

Film Crew
Laura Moya- Director and Editor
Laurel Gwizdak- Media Trainer and Editor
Sandrine Emambu- Videographer and Editor
Binyam Hundito- Videographer and Editor
Zaid Jameel- Videographer and Editor
Alan Marroquin- Videographer and Editor

Additional Professional Guidance
Gregory Walsh

A special thanks to our sponsors who were able to make this film possible:
Chino Cienega
Cafritz
Polinger
Takoma Foundations

Brigade Highlights

* Gandhi Brigade with Reel Works hosted the first Youth Media + Action Summit in Silver Spring and DC. This summit brought 100 youth media makers and activists from the East and West Coasts together for three days of collaborative media, art, and social justice projects.

* Two Gandhi Brigade youth presented at a the (W)rites of Passage TEDx talk organized by the Duke Ellington School of the Arts at the Goethe Institute in Washington, DC. The event showcased creative works from youth in the DC Metro Area examining the importance role writing plays in innovation.

* Gandhi Brigade’s 6th annual Youth Media Festival in May 2013 brought the largest geographical reach of youth submissions than any previous year ranging with submissions from San Francisco, Philadelphia, New York, Baltimore, and DC.

* 1,748 people attended events for the The Youth Voices on the Plaza series. The program featured intergenerational community events. Five teens were hired for summer internships, where they learned about event and project management, graphic design, and community outreach.

* Arun Gandhi, grandson of Mohandas, visited the Gandhi Brigade in September. Curious about a "brigade" named after his grandfather, he questioned our youth about their work and commended them for their commitment to justice.

Gandhi Brigade