En Tus Manos
Encyclopedia
En Tus Manos is a short narrative film by Toy Gun Films
released to DVD on January 1, 2010. Written by Oscar Torres (Voces inocentes
), directed by Ron Jacobs, and produced by Oscar Torres, Brent Ryan Green
and Jeff Goldberg Paper Flower (film)
who serve as co-presidents to Toy Gun Films and also featuring Thomas Marvel as the cinematographer, the film was inspired by a collection of true stories surrounding the issue of violence directed at religious leaders throughout Colombia
.
En Tus Manos focuses on the story of a young man struggling with an abusive father while growing up in a violent section of Bogotá
, Colombia, where the film was shot entirely. The short film has been screened in over twenty International Film Festivals and won eight film festival awards. In 2011, En Tus Manos was signed on with Hulu and since then has been streaming worldwide. Additionally, En Tus Manos has been screened around the world more than 3 million times through its distribution partner, One Hope.
where many of the local pastors are being shot and killed. The neighborhood is becoming more fearful of the notoriously vicious local gang who is killing the pastors. At home, Carlos faces constant family abuse
, but finds his escape in the love of his youth, Zuvely, played by Paulina Gaitán
(Sin Nombre
and Voces inocentes
). However, in an attempt to defend himself from the hostility that has engulfed his home life, Carlos decides to join the gang
. As a part of his initiation into the gang, Carlos is ordered to murder the local pastor considered to be a threat to their reign over their neighborhood. This cold-blooded task pushed Carlos into the depths of despair as he searches for the courage to finally take his destiny into his own hands.
Toy Gun Films
Toy Gun Films is a production company that is in the process of developing a diverse slate of art house films. The company believes that just like a toy gun is a weapon of imagination, film is a weapon of imagination that has the power to transform hearts and minds...
released to DVD on January 1, 2010. Written by Oscar Torres (Voces inocentes
Voces inocentes
Voces inocentes is a 2004 Mexican film directed by Luis Mandoki. The plot is set during the Salvadoran Civil War in 1980, and is based on writer Óscar Torres's childhood. The film serves as a general commentary on the military use of children. The movie also shows injustice against innocent...
), directed by Ron Jacobs, and produced by Oscar Torres, Brent Ryan Green
Brent Ryan Green
Brent Ryan Green is an award-winning film director from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States.-Career:Green began his film career in 2004 working on the feature film End of the Spear...
and Jeff Goldberg Paper Flower (film)
Paper Flower (film)
Paper Flower is a short narrative film by Toy Gun Films that premiered internationally in Tokyo in February 2011. Following Paper Flower’s international premiere, the short film premiered domestically in the U.S. at the Beverly Hills Film Festival on April 8, 2011...
who serve as co-presidents to Toy Gun Films and also featuring Thomas Marvel as the cinematographer, the film was inspired by a collection of true stories surrounding the issue of violence directed at religious leaders throughout Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
.
En Tus Manos focuses on the story of a young man struggling with an abusive father while growing up in a violent section of Bogotá
Bogotá
Bogotá, Distrito Capital , from 1991 to 2000 called Santa Fé de Bogotá, is the capital, and largest city, of Colombia. It is also designated by the national constitution as the capital of the department of Cundinamarca, even though the city of Bogotá now comprises an independent Capital district...
, Colombia, where the film was shot entirely. The short film has been screened in over twenty International Film Festivals and won eight film festival awards. In 2011, En Tus Manos was signed on with Hulu and since then has been streaming worldwide. Additionally, En Tus Manos has been screened around the world more than 3 million times through its distribution partner, One Hope.
Plot
Carlos, played by Santiago Diaz, is a young man who lives in a violent neighborhood of BogotáBogotá
Bogotá, Distrito Capital , from 1991 to 2000 called Santa Fé de Bogotá, is the capital, and largest city, of Colombia. It is also designated by the national constitution as the capital of the department of Cundinamarca, even though the city of Bogotá now comprises an independent Capital district...
where many of the local pastors are being shot and killed. The neighborhood is becoming more fearful of the notoriously vicious local gang who is killing the pastors. At home, Carlos faces constant family abuse
Child abuse
Child abuse is the physical, sexual, emotional mistreatment, or neglect of a child. In the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Department of Children And Families define child maltreatment as any act or series of acts of commission or omission by a parent or...
, but finds his escape in the love of his youth, Zuvely, played by Paulina Gaitán
Paulina Gaitán
Paulina Gaitán Ruíz is a Mexican actress.-Biography:Gaitán started acting at age 9 and at the age of 12 had an important role in Mexican director Luis Mandoki's Innocent Voices, a tale about the civil war in El Salvador...
(Sin Nombre
Sin Nombre (2009 film)
Sin Nombre is an American and Mexican film written and directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga.Filmed in Spanish, the film's name means "Nameless"...
and Voces inocentes
Voces inocentes
Voces inocentes is a 2004 Mexican film directed by Luis Mandoki. The plot is set during the Salvadoran Civil War in 1980, and is based on writer Óscar Torres's childhood. The film serves as a general commentary on the military use of children. The movie also shows injustice against innocent...
). However, in an attempt to defend himself from the hostility that has engulfed his home life, Carlos decides to join the gang
Gang
A gang is a group of people who, through the organization, formation, and establishment of an assemblage, share a common identity. In current usage it typically denotes a criminal organization or else a criminal affiliation. In early usage, the word gang referred to a group of workmen...
. As a part of his initiation into the gang, Carlos is ordered to murder the local pastor considered to be a threat to their reign over their neighborhood. This cold-blooded task pushed Carlos into the depths of despair as he searches for the courage to finally take his destiny into his own hands.
Cast
- Carlos – Sanitago Diaz
- Zuvely – Paulina GaitánPaulina GaitánPaulina Gaitán Ruíz is a Mexican actress.-Biography:Gaitán started acting at age 9 and at the age of 12 had an important role in Mexican director Luis Mandoki's Innocent Voices, a tale about the civil war in El Salvador...
- Rico – Alejandro Aguilar
- Pastor Gustavo- Hernan Lopez
- Friend of Rico 1 – Andres Torres
- Friend of Rico2 – Jefferson Paez
- Cuco – Juan Carlos Zarate
- Carlos’s father – Daniel Rincon
Festivals
En Tus Manos has been officially selected into:- Beverly Hills Film FestivalBeverly Hills Film FestivalThe Beverly Hills Film Festival is a film festival in the United States founded by award-winning independent filmmaker Nino Simone in 2001. The festival debuted in 2001, and has shown regular growth each year...
2010- Won Best Short Film and Best Male Actor - Los Angeles International Film Festival Won Best Short Film, Best Directing, Best Male Supporting Actor, Best Female Actor
- Spirit Quest Film Festival - Won Best Short Film
- San Diego Christian Film Festival- Won Best International Short Film
- Newport Beach Film Festival 2010
- Rincon International Film Festival 2010
- Cartagena International Film Festival – World Premiere
- deadCENTER Film FestivalDeadCENTER Film FestivalThe deadCENTER Film Festival was founded in 2001 in Oklahoma City. The festival was named "deadCENTER" because it is located in the exact center of the United States...
- San Antonio Film Festival
- Film Series at the Cine Gear Expo
- Flickers: Rhode Island International Film Festival
- HBO New York Latino International Film Festival
- Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival
- New Filmmakers LA
- Bumbershoot Film Festival Seattle
- Phoenix International Christian Film Festival
- Artivist Film Festival & AwardsArtivist Film Festival & AwardsThe Artivist Film Festival & Awards is an international film festival and awards ceremony dedicated to recognizing activist efforts of filmmakers, specifically in the areas of human rights, child advocacy, environmental preservation, and animal rights....
- New York City International Film Festival
Press
- Norman Transcript “Local Film Company Champions Moral Courage”
- Daily Oklahoman “Filmmaker from Oklahoma Finds his own Stories”
- Noticias Oklahoma “La película En Tus Manos se estrena en la ciudad”
- El Heraldo "Colombiano, el mejor actor en Festival de Cine de Beverly Hills"
- One Hope "Beverly Hills Film Festival Winner Will be Shown in S. American Schools and Prisons"