Latinx Voices Bring a Fresh Perspective To BFF

The film begins with the story of Victor Rios, a high school dropout, Oakland gang member, and three-time felon by 15. But when a teacher’s quiet persistence, a mentor’s moral conviction, and his best friend’s murder converge, Rios’s path takes an unlikely turn.

Filmed over the span of 25 years, THE PUSHOUTS weaves Rios’ inspiring pushout-to-professor narrative with stories from YO!Watts, a youth center serving 16-to 24-year-olds who face overwhelming systemic challenges to, as 19-year-old Rynesha puts it, “living our best lives.” A then-and-now story of unusual intimacy and depth, THE PUSHOUTS trades well-meaning but detrimental narratives of tragedy and victimization for true stories of grit and resilience, highlighting the limitless potential of young people to thrive when given access to meaningful opportunities and connections to adults who care.

Nick, better known as “Damage” in the streets of Miami, is the young leader of an infamous graffiti crew that leaves its mark wherever it goes. As they grow larger in fame and number, problems start arising–Nick’s personal life goes on a downward spiral; the illegal nature of his passion is bound to get him in trouble with the authorities, and, on top of that, he has to learn to fend off the local rival crew. Director Jose Daniel Freixas, a graffiti artist in his own right since the age of 10, puts his first-hand experience in the world of graffiti to good use by highlighting Miami’s gritty streets as well as its multi-cultural heritage to show a city full of color, life, and passion.

Four high-school students, Na’Kerria, Jocabed, Junior, and BJ, embark on their senior year in Pahokee, a small Florida town on the shores of Lake Okeechobee. The teens navigate all of the sometimes exciting, sometimes heartbreaking rite-of-passage rituals as they make profound decisions about their futures. As they do, the pressure of Pahokee’s economic hardships weighs heavily on their shoulders — the community has placed all hopes for an opportunity on them, the next generation.

A high school principal in a small town in Texas hosts a yearly Quinceañera for students that can’t afford it. The event started with 4 girls and it is now a celebration for 80 girls. The entire border town of San Benito, TX gets together to teach these girls that with the power of community any dream can come true.