Logline:

Inside a hidden shop stuffed with art gems, Florencio, an 82-year-old carpenter has championed Mexican Art and culture. When encountered with financial challenges, will the community he supported for decades show up to support him?

Story:

Our documentary, Cocuyo is a personal portrait of Florencio Blanquel, an 82-year-old Mexican Carpenter and business owner of Blanquel Popular Arts. My crew and I will use a variety of different documentary techniques to tell our story, such as observational and poetic modes, as well as cinema verité. Cocuyo will carry themes about small business preservation, because with a precious store like Blanquel Popular Arts, one never knows how long it may last. Another theme is buying locally; as the director, my goal is for the viewer to reflect on their spending habits, where they buy their furniture, and how deprived we are as a society from communicating with and appreciating craftspeople. Lastly, our film will showcase the beauty of encouraging the arts within a community.

Goal:

We are hoping to use crowdfunding to help us have a polished and high-quality viewing experience. Additionally, to help cover expenses such SD cards, permits, food allocation, hard drives and other essential production and post-production. Lastly, this money will allow us to submit our documentary to local and global film festivals.

The Crew :D

Director: Mateo Medina, a Cinematic Arts senior at Cal State Long Beach, with an emphasis in Documentary Production. He is a proud Mexican-American looking to beautifully portray Florencio's artwork and the Latiné culture.

Cinematographer: Jonathan Sintora, a Cinematic Arts major, specializes in documentary storytelling and sports broadcasting. He is inspired by Florencio's hard work, dedication toward his community, and is honored to capture the special moments that makes him beloved by many.

Sound Mixer: Hannah Putman wants you to feel immersed in documentary films. Through her studies in Cinema, Hannah focuses on Sound recording and design. She feels passionate that your support in funding this film will help celebrate Florencio's story, and the artistic community he has created.