Filmmaker visits WSHS students as part of Frozen River Film Festival

Photo submitted by WAPS

WINONA, Minn. — Through both his words and his work, a Mexican immigrant filmmaker delivered a powerful message to Winona Senior High School students on Friday morning:

“Your voice has value,” said filmmaker Alejandro Palacios, director of “The Latinx Photography Project,” one of the films playing at this week’s Frozen River Film Festival. “Whatever you have to say, whatever your story is, it is worth sharing.”

Palacios talked with students after a screening of his bilingual documentary, which follows a small group of Latinx photographers and explores the group’s impact on their life and their community in West Marin — a rural area of California north of San Francisco. More information about the film can be seen at latinxphotoproject.com.

The film also will be shown during the Power of the Arts Set at 10 a.m. Sunday on the Winona State University campus as part of the Frozen River Film Festival. Palacios is also hosting a workshop on sharing your film through PBS later in the day Sunday.

Winona Area Public Schools has partnered with the Frozen River Film Festival in the past, bringing both filmmakers to speak with students and also hosting film sets in the high school auditorium. Jed Reisetter, a special education teacher at the high school, is a co-chair of the festival’s board. He and managing director Eileen Moeller introduced Palacios.

The students took advantage of the opportunity to ask engaging questions of Palacios, including about what he wanted to get out of the film, where he finds his inspiration, and how long the film took to make. Palacios stayed behind afterward and talked to students individually as well.

WSHS students have the opportunity to attend the festival for free.

More information about the Frozen River Film Festival can be seen at frff.org.

(WAPS)