About this submission

A Nicaraguan father recounts his journey to the United States, telling his daughter about the life he left behind and the one he struggled to build in Miami. Through intimate conversations, he revisits the uncertainty of arrival and the quiet resilience that shaped his American dream. But alongside survival is another inheritance: the feeling of being “less than” in predominantly white spaces. As his daughter shares her own experiences of alienation and self-doubt, their stories begin to mirror one another. Past and present intertwine, revealing how identity, belonging, and resilience are negotiated and redefined across generations.

Alice Estrada

Creator

Alice Estrada is a Nicaraguan-American filmmaker and visual artist whose work explores themes of family, memory, and identity through documentary and animation. Born and raised in Miami, Florida, and currently based in Boston, she is pursuing a BFA in Studio Art with a minor in Film and Media Studies at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts at Tufts University. Her recent short documentary, Miami Boy, traces her father’s journey immigrating to the United States and rebuilding his life in Miami. Through intimate interviews and archival footage, the film examines how identity and resilience are passed down through generations. Her films have been featured at the Salem Film Festival and the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. Estrada currently works as a Research Production Intern at the Oscar award-winning company Smartypants. more...