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Suggested tax deductible donation of $10 per view. No one will be turned away for lack of funds.
Sotomayor Productions is fiscally sponsored by 501(c)(3) nonprofit CultureTrust Greater Philadelphia.
This link is for personal viewing only. For school, college, university, and library screenings, please purchase a license via New Day Films or Kanopy.
This film is available with English language closed captions and audio descriptions that can be toggled on and off.
An immigrant mother becomes an unexpected community leader during a groundbreaking campaign to end the Philadelphia police’s data-sharing with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Expanding Sanctuary tells a rarely seen story of resilience, tracing the Latinx immigrant community’s successful fight to protect families and change legislation against a backdrop of systemic injustice.
At the heart of the film is a personal journey of transformation. What begins as a woman’s quest to bring her mother to the United States for her wedding evolves into a profound awakening. As she works with the immigrant rights organization Juntos, she discovers her voice, power, and agency, channeling her initial hope for personal connection into a larger purpose. Her newfound role as an organizer not only redefines her life but strengthens her entire community’s fight for justice, illuminating the extraordinary potential of collective action and solidarity.
Expanding Sanctuary won the Philadelphia Filmmaker Award at the 2024 BlackStar Film Festival and Best Documentary Film at the 2025 SPE Media Festival.
Read what critics are saying:
"This is a powerful and moving documentary that highlights grassroots efforts to resist unjust policies and protect vulnerable communities." – J. Zimmerman, Video Librarian
"‘Expanding Sanctuary’ is a success story. And a record of how immigrants changed policy in Philadelphia." – Peak Johnson, Generocity
- Year2023
- Runtime20 minutes
- LanguageSpanish, English
- CountryUnited States
- GenreDocumentary
- Subtitle LanguageEnglish, Spanish
- AwardsPhiladelphia Filmmaker Award at the 2024 BlackStar Film Festival, Best Documentary Film at SPE Media Fest
- Social Media
- DirectorKristal Sotomayor
- ScreenwriterKristal Sotomayor, Priscilla Gonzalez Sainz and María Luisa Santos
- ProducerKristal Sotomayor
- Co-ProducerMarángeli Mejía Rabell
- FilmmakerKristal Sotomayor
- CastLinda Hernandez
- CinematographerKristal Sotomayor
- EditorMaría Luisa Santos
- ComposerJorge Corante
- Sound DesignNayuribe Montero Jiménez
- MusicLas Cafeteras
Suggested tax deductible donation of $10 per view. No one will be turned away for lack of funds.
Sotomayor Productions is fiscally sponsored by 501(c)(3) nonprofit CultureTrust Greater Philadelphia.
This link is for personal viewing only. For school, college, university, and library screenings, please purchase a license via New Day Films or Kanopy.
This film is available with English language closed captions and audio descriptions that can be toggled on and off.
An immigrant mother becomes an unexpected community leader during a groundbreaking campaign to end the Philadelphia police’s data-sharing with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Expanding Sanctuary tells a rarely seen story of resilience, tracing the Latinx immigrant community’s successful fight to protect families and change legislation against a backdrop of systemic injustice.
At the heart of the film is a personal journey of transformation. What begins as a woman’s quest to bring her mother to the United States for her wedding evolves into a profound awakening. As she works with the immigrant rights organization Juntos, she discovers her voice, power, and agency, channeling her initial hope for personal connection into a larger purpose. Her newfound role as an organizer not only redefines her life but strengthens her entire community’s fight for justice, illuminating the extraordinary potential of collective action and solidarity.
Expanding Sanctuary won the Philadelphia Filmmaker Award at the 2024 BlackStar Film Festival and Best Documentary Film at the 2025 SPE Media Festival.
Read what critics are saying:
"This is a powerful and moving documentary that highlights grassroots efforts to resist unjust policies and protect vulnerable communities." – J. Zimmerman, Video Librarian
"‘Expanding Sanctuary’ is a success story. And a record of how immigrants changed policy in Philadelphia." – Peak Johnson, Generocity
- Year2023
- Runtime20 minutes
- LanguageSpanish, English
- CountryUnited States
- GenreDocumentary
- Subtitle LanguageEnglish, Spanish
- AwardsPhiladelphia Filmmaker Award at the 2024 BlackStar Film Festival, Best Documentary Film at SPE Media Fest
- Social Media
- DirectorKristal Sotomayor
- ScreenwriterKristal Sotomayor, Priscilla Gonzalez Sainz and María Luisa Santos
- ProducerKristal Sotomayor
- Co-ProducerMarángeli Mejía Rabell
- FilmmakerKristal Sotomayor
- CastLinda Hernandez
- CinematographerKristal Sotomayor
- EditorMaría Luisa Santos
- ComposerJorge Corante
- Sound DesignNayuribe Montero Jiménez
- MusicLas Cafeteras