Forbidden: Undocumented and Queer in Rural America Forbidden: Undocumented and Queer in Rural America Forbidden: Undocumented and Queer in Rural America
  • Outfest

    Freedom Award
  • Charlotte Film Festival

    Southern Poverty Law Center’s Social Justice Film Award
  • Television Academy Honor

  • San Diego Latino Film Festival

  • Puerto Rican Heritage Film Festival

  • National Immigrant Integration Conference (NIIC)

  • Milwaukee LGBT Film Festival

  • NewFest LGBT Film Festival

  • Santa Barbara OUTrageous LGBT Film Festival!

Pricing
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English

Touching upon relevant issues such as DACA, the DREAM Act, and DOCA, Forbidden: Undocumented and Queer in Rural America highlights the need for advocacy and awareness surrounding immigration reform and LGBTQ+ rights.

Moises Serrano came to America from Mexico when he was 18 months old. Since he was not born in America, he is not a legal immigrant. We soon learn that Moises also happens to be gay, and in North Carolina, that presents another set of challenges.

Moises’ larger crusade as an activist is to expand the rights of undocumented people trying to survive in America. An urgent and necessary documentary, Forbidden humanizes the issues, proving eye-opening and inspiring to audiences.

Press

“Moises Serrano, who came to America at the age of 18 months, makes an effective crusader for immigration reform in this revealing documentary...The film should prove eye-opening and inspiring to audiences.” – Stephen Farber, The Hollywood Reporter

“Like so many other DREAMers, Moises’s story is one of feeling adrift and alienated in the same country that he’s always called home. But as so many before and beside him, Moises has become an outspoken advocate for immigration reform.” – Manuel Betancourt, Remezcla

“[A] sheer joy. Forbidden is one of those wonderful feel-good movies that makes you appreciate that as long as there are Moises Serranos in the world, there is hope for all of us.” – Roger Walker-Dack, EDGE Media Network

“You’ll find yourself falling in love with Moises Serrano, the subject of Tiffany Rhynard’s intelligent and moving documentary. Ultimately a story of love conquering hate Forbidden is authentic and realistic in portraying the obstacles that Serrano has faced throughout his life.” – Richard Propes, The Independent Critic

“The film...shuttles effortlessly between Moises’s speeches at immigration panels and his advocacy at pride events. Between stories of how his family has been shackled by unfair rulings on immigration and his breathless joy at hearing the Supreme Court strike down the Defense of Marriage Act. ” – Manuel Betancourt, Remezcla

“Puts a lot of the politics behind the ongoing immigration debate aside to give us a personal take on what it’s like living in the United States under the constant threat of deportation. [The film] does a wonderful job of presenting a more personal perspective on the topic as well as debunking myths about undocumented immigrants, challenging long-held stereotypes and highlighting the far-reaching effects of the convoluted immigration policies in the United States.”GayEssential.com

“Director Tiffany Rhynard, producer Heather Mathews and activist Moises Serrano humanize the issues and demonstrates how a loving family has the power to combat the destructive oppression of entire groups of people.” – Tim Isaac, Big Gay Picture Show

About the Director
Tiffany Rhynard is an artist, dancer, and filmmaker. She creates work that examines the complexity of human behavior and addresses current social issues. Having created numerous works for stage and screen, Rhynard’s choreography, dance films, and documentaries have been presented nationwide and internationally.

Forbidden: Undocumented and Queer in Rural America - Tiffany Rhynard

Available for Q&As, Masterclasses, and workshops upon request, in English.
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Her dance films screened at festivals, including Dancing for the Camera at the American Dance Festival. Her short film, Invisible Queens, won First Prize at ScreenDance Miami.

Rhynard’s award winning documentary, Forbidden: Undocumented and Queer in Rural America, is sponsored by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). It was honored with the Social Justice Film Award from the Southern Poverty Law Center and the Freedom Award from Outfest Film Festival.

Her dance documentary short, Black Stains, was created in collaboration with Trent D. Williams, Jr.. It explores black male identity in the United States. A Right to Kill questions the ethics of capital punishment.

A cross-disciplinary artist, Rhynard has worked with esteemed collaborators. Choreographer Christal Brown, internationally renowned composer Lei Liang, real-time digital media artist Marlon Barrios Solano, and mezzo-soprano Sahoko Sato Timpone are some of them.

As a performer, Rhynard has danced for choreographers including Gerri Houlihan, Laura Dean Dancers and Musicians, and Chavasse Dance and Performance Group. She has taught at colleges and universities throughout the country. She is an Associate Professor in the School of Dance at Florida State University.

Notes on Film

Our mission is to raise awareness and urgency about basic human rights issues. Moises faces significant hurdles due to his undocumented status, his sexuality, and the limited resources available in a rural area. His story of personal transformation inspires audiences to ask reflective questions: How can obstacles in our lives lead us to our life purpose? How can we create change in our communities, states, and countries? How can different oppressed groups work together for justice?

Moises is an ideal character for challenging stereotypes about undocumented immigrants and same-sex couples. Viewers can readily connect to his passion, complexity, and all-around likability. His story relates directly to the 11 million undocumented immigrants currently living in the U.S., and LGBTQ+ individuals fighting for equality and civil rights.