Julissa Lopez

Manito -- Manito is an intimate portrait of a Latino family in New York City as the youngest son graduates as valedictorian in a neighborhood shattered by drugs and violence. Can he truly escape? USA. English and Spanish with Eng subs. Winner - Sundance Film Fest.

Fifteen years ago, their Washington Heights neighborhood was dubbed the crack-cocaine capital of the world, but today it is transforming into one of the most vibrant, Spanish-speaking communities in the United States. While the drug dealers continue to disappear, their violent legacy still casts a shadow over the neighborhood and its residents. Junior, an ex-convict struggling to get his life back on track, is a product of this legacy. His younger brother Manny, the salutatorian of his high school class, embodies the hope of the future. On the night of his graduation party, Manny finds himself faced with an ill-fated decision that could change his life forever.

Manito chronicles the life of a family in Washington Heights, a vibrant Latino community still living under the legacy of an era shadowed by drugs and violence. Manny is the valedictorian of his high school class, about to escape that same legacy that had forced his older brother Junior Moreno to spend time in prison. With gritty, luminescent cinematography and unflinching portrayals of characters that embody the heart and soul of the neighborhood, writer/director Eric Eason brings us an electrifying feature debut in the finest tradition of independent filmmaking. USA. English and Spanish with English subtitles. Winner - Sundance, Tribeca and South by Southwest Film Festivals.

Manito chronicles the life of a family in Washington Heights, a vibrant Latino community still living under the legacy of an era shadowed by drugs and violence. Manny is the valedictorian of his high school class, about to escape that same legacy that had forced his older brother Junior Moreno to spend time in prison. With gritty, luminescent cinematography and unflinching portrayals of characters that embody the heart and soul of the neighborhood, writer/director Eric Eason brings us an electrifying feature debut in the finest tradition of independent filmmaking. USA. English and Spanish with English subtitles. Winner - Sundance, Tribeca and South by Southwest Film Festivals.