El Andalón (The Healer), a short documentary produced by a Watsonville woman, will play in the United Nations Association Film Festival in Palo Alto later this month.
The film, in Spanish with English subtitles, was shot in Chiapas, Mexico. It follows the footsteps of a Mexican humanitarian named Sergio Castro. He currently works seven days a week healing burns and wounds, for free, in and around the town of San Cristóbal de las Casas. He is 70 years old.
It won the audience award for best short documentary at the Santa Cruz Film Festival earlier this year.
Director Consuelo Alba is a Watsonville resident.
“Don Sergio’s dedication to serving the indigenous and poor communities for more than 45 years, his bedside manner, and they way he really connects with his patients—all of these can serve as an inspiration to health professionals," Alba said. "He’s the embodiment of taking positive action despite all the odds."
El Andalón has been screened in nearly 20 film festivals around the world since August 2010. Alba also scheduled special screenings in Watsonville and Santa Cruz for health care professionals and the public in October to mark Binational Health Week.
The UN film festival is Oct. 21-30.
