Sansón and Me

Premiered September 19, 2023
Directed by Rodrigo Reyes

Filmmaker captures immigrant's life in prison through family reenactments.

About the Documentary

Filmmaker Rodrigo Reyes is inspired to make a documentary about Sansón, an immigrant serving life for first-degree murder, but authorities won’t allow the incarcerated young man to be filmed. In light of this, Sansón's story is shared through dramatic reenactments of his letters, using members of his own family as actors.

An Independent Lens and Voces co-presentation.

The Filmmakers

Rodrigo Reyes

Rodrigo Reyes is a Mexican American filmmaker whose work is grounded in the contradictory poetry of the immigrant experience. He has received numerous honors, including the Guggenheim and Rainin Foundation Fellowships, Creative Capital, as well as awards at select film festivals including Tribeca, Hot Docs, and Sheffield DocFest. 

Su Kim

Su Kim is an Academy Award-nominated and Emmy®️ and Peabody Award-winning producer. Her films in release include Bitterbrush; the OSCAR®️ and Primetime Emmy®️-nominated Hale County This Morning, This Evening; and Midnight Traveler.

Documentaries Available to Watch Now

Documentaries Coming Soon

Awards

Sheffield Documentary Festival

Best Film

Learn More About the Documentary

A child with medium skin tone and dark hair, looking downcast, sits with his arms and head resting on a table full of food.
Behind the Films

“Your Story Makes You Strong”: Sansón, an Incarcerated Man, Watches His Life as Documentary Reenactment

Filmmaker Rodrigo Reyes, a Mexican-American man with medium-light skin tone and glasses sits next to a man with medium skin tone and dark features at a table in an auditorium, recreating a courtroom scene.
Behind the Films

From Crimmigration Court Interpreter to Lifelong Friends