Mortality is a touchy subject for many people. What happens when we die? Is death something to be afraid of? And of course, what do we leave behind when we depart this physical realm? It’s that last question, about life and legacy, that is behind the new documentary, “What We Leave Behind.”
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With the new doc arriving at SXSW, we are thrilled to give our readers an exclusive look at the teaser trailer for Iliana Sosa’s beautiful, deeply personal feature. The film follows the filmmaker’s grandfather, Julián, the patriarch of the family, as he builds a new home on a vacant lot that will serve as a home for anyone in his family that needs it, long after he is gone. The film not only talks about this process of building a house, but it really dives deep into the idea of legacy and family, as well as the amazing relationships you form with folks that surround you in your life.
“What We Leave Behind” is set to debut at this year’s SXSW Film Festival. You can watch the exclusive teaser below.
Here’s the synopsis:
At the age of 89, Julián takes one last bus ride to El Paso, Texas, to visit his daughters and their children — a lengthy trip he has made without fail every month for decades. After returning to rural Mexico, he quietly starts building a house in the empty lot next to his home. In the absence of his physical visits, can this new house bridge the distance between his loved ones?
Over several years, director Iliana Sosa films her grandfather’s work, gently sifting through Julián’s previously unspoken memories brought up by the construction project and revealing both the daily pragmatism and poetry of his life. WHAT WE LEAVE BEHIND unfolds as a love letter to her grandfather, as well as an intimate and insightful exploration of Iliana’s own relationship with him and his homeland.
(NOTE: Make sure to have closed captions turned on for the translated dialogue.)