Natalia Almada facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Natalia Almada
Born	Sinaloa, Mexico
Nationality	Mexican-American
Alma mater	Rhode Island School of Design
Known for	photographer; filmmaker
Style	Documentary
Awards	2009 Sundance Film Festival Directing Award Documentary; 2012 MacArthur Fellows Program

Natalia Almada is a talented Mexican-American photographer and filmmaker. She creates thoughtful and artistic documentary films. Her movies often explore Mexican history, its government, and its culture. She finds new ways to tell stories about important social topics.

Natalia Almada's films include "Everything Else (Todo lo demás)" (2016), El Velador (2011), El General (2009), All Water Has a Perfect Memory (2001), and Al Otro Lado (2005). Her work has been shown in many famous places around the world. These include the Museum of Modern Art and the Sundance Film Festival. She won the 2009 Sundance Directing Award for Documentary for her film El General. She also became a 2012 MacArthur Fellow. She was the first Latina filmmaker to receive this special award.

Early Life and Education

Natalia Almada was born and grew up in Sinaloa, Mexico. Later, she moved to Chicago with her Mexican father and American mother. Natalia is the great-granddaughter of Plutarco Elías Calles. He was a former President of Mexico. He later became the subject of one of her films, El General.

Since she was 12 years old, Natalia has loved using a camera. She wanted to capture people's lives and stories. This interest led her to pursue a career in filmmaking.

Natalia's College Studies

Natalia Almada earned her first degree, a Bachelor of Fine Arts, from the College of Santa Fe in 1995. She then continued her studies at the Rhode Island School of Design. She received a full scholarship there. In 2001, she earned her Master's degree in Photography (MFA).

How Her Background Inspires Her Films

Natalia Almada gets her ideas from being a citizen of both Mexico and the United States. She grew up moving between these two countries. This meant she saw very different ways of life, economies, and political systems.

Her view as a Mexican-American woman helps many different audiences. They can understand social issues from a special point of view. Natalia tries to show these issues in a fair way. She looks at problems like difficult political situations and challenges related to trade. She focuses on basic human needs and the economic barriers people face.

Storytelling and Family Influence

Natalia's films are greatly shaped by her Mexican background. Many stories come from her experiences living in Sinaloa. She also uses stories told to her by her family. Her documentaries do not always follow a straight timeline. She often puts herself into situations to get a direct view of the stories she shares.

All of her films are very personal and honest. Natalia explores themes that relate to her family's history. She connects these to the challenges in modern-day Sinaloa. Her films often discuss topics like difficult trade situations, people moving between countries, and the impact of loss.

Awards and Recognition

Natalia Almada has received several important awards for her work:

• 2012 – MacArthur Fellow
• 2011 – Alpert Award
• 2010 – USA Artist Fellow
• 2009 – Sundance Directing Award Documentary
• 2008 – Guggenheim Fellow
• 2005 – Creative Capital Award

Notable Films by Natalia Almada

El Velador (The Night Watchman) (2011)

El Velador tells a story about the increasing challenges related to trade in Mexico. It follows Martin, who is a night watchman at a Mexican cemetery. This cemetery holds the bodies of some well-known figures involved in trade. Their deaths show the dangers that can come with such activities.

The film explores the theme of difficult situations without showing any graphic images. It tells the story of growing issues while respecting the quiet setting of the cemetery. The film suggests a link between the expansion of trade-related issues and the increasing number of large mausoleums Martin sees. The film is slow and has little talking. This allows the audience a quiet space to think about the issues Natalia Almada brings to light.

El General (2009)

El General shares the story of Natalia Almada's great-grandfather, Plutarco Elías Calles. The story is told from her grandmother's point of view. Calles was a very important political leader. Some people remember him as a strong leader.

The film moves between the past and the present. It tells Calles' story from his daughter's memories. It also shows how history remembers him. The documentary uses voice recordings of Natalia's grandmother. Her grandmother originally made these recordings hoping to write a book. The film gives a unique look into Natalia's family history. It shows how this history connects to Mexico, both in the past and today. El General explores the difference between history and personal memories. It shows how Natalia's grandmother balanced her own memories with what the public knew. Natalia received a Creative Capital Award in 2005 to help make this film.

Al Otro Lado (2005)

Al otro lado focuses on the movement of goods and people between Mexico and the United States. The story is set against traditional Mexican corrido music. This music has often been used to tell stories. However, in this film, the upbeat music is used in a surprising way, given the serious topics.

Natalia Almada tells the story from an economic viewpoint. She follows the life of a young Mexican worker. This helps to show the economic reasons that sometimes lead Mexican citizens to seek better lives. By giving a human face to this ongoing issue, Natalia adds a personal perspective. This is different from how the story is often told, which is usually from a political or legal angle. Al Otro Lado was Natalia Almada's first full-length film.

All Water has a Perfect Memory (2001)

This film tells a very personal story about the passing of Natalia Almada's older sister, Ana Lynn. Ana Lynn passed away when Natalia was only three months old. The film mainly looks at how her family, with both American and Mexican backgrounds, dealt with this sadness and loss. It includes interviews with those affected by Ana Lynn's passing.

All Water explores how Natalia's American mother and Mexican father reacted differently to the tragedy. It also looks at how gender and nationality played a part in their responses. The film was inspired by an essay by Toni Morrison. This essay talks about the connection between water and memory. This idea relates both symbolically and directly to Ana Lynn's passing. All Water has a Perfect Memory is an experimental documentary. It was the first of Natalia Almada's films to be shown publicly.

See also

In Spanish: Natalia Almada para niños