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Synopsis
Ronnie's daily work life as a physical therapist on house calls can be a bit of a struggle. Today is no different as he visits Leonard, his young patient with cerebral palsy. Ronnie gets permission from Leonard's mom to do the physical therapy exercises at a nearby park. At the park, Leonard has a minor accident, paramedics are called, and Ronnie gets in trouble with his employer. Ronnie is placed on unpaid leave.
The following day, Ronnie interviews for a job at an exclusive rehabilitation center for children of the mega-rich. Ronnie loves the facilities but is disturbed by the wealthy bad parents. Ronnie is offered and accepts the job, but his start day is the same day as Leonard's career day at school. The film ends with Ronnie having to face the tough ultimatum: choosing between starting the new job or showing up to career day at Leonard's school.
Director's Statement
Physical Therapy is a comedy about a gay Latino doctor that must decide between keeping his low-income clients or taking a job at a private practice for kids of the mega-rich. Physical Therapy is inspired by my best friend who's a physical therapist as well as my advocacy work to make healthcare affordable and culturally appropriate for working-class communities.
Our hope with Physical Therapy is to inspire future generations of Latino and LGBTQ people to become doctors. Today, only 7 percent of doctors in the U.S. are Latino, 6 percent of physiotherapists are Latino, and only 5 percent of actors with speaking roles in Hollywood films are Latino. I want to change that.
Crew
Ahuatl Amaro - Writer/Director
Ahuatl is an award-winning queer, Latinx-Indigenous director and writer born and raised in Los Angeles. His LGBTQ comedy films have received critical acclaim and reached audiences worldwide. Warehouse (a workplace comedy about four LGBTQ warehouse workers) received the Festival Favorite Award at the 2024 Cinema Diverse film festival in Palm Springs and was also selected by the 2023 San Diego Latino Film Festival, Boston’s Wicked Queer, OUTShine Fort Lauderdale, Queer Voices New York City, New Filmmakers Los Angeles, New Orleans Queer Film Night, and TransFest Stockholm (Sweden). The film garnered stellar reviews on Movie Maker and Así es la nota.
His latest short film Physical Therapy starring Jason Genao (Netflix's On My Block) was awarded the Immaculate Heart Community Filmmaker Award at the 2024 Los Angeles Shorts International Film Festival, was the Audience Award runner up at the Hola Mexico Film Festival, and a finalist at the Mexican-American Film and Television Festival, Philadelphia Latino Arts and Film Festival, and the International Festival of Independent LGBTQ+ Cinema in Mexico City. The short has been selected by over 20 festivals worldwide and was also a semi-finalist of the Flicker’s Rhode Island International Film Festival, a quarter finalist for the 2023 ScreenCraft Film Film, and received an honorable mention at the 2024 Seville International Film Festival.
His upcoming film Mean Goals, about a mean-spirited team of LGBTQ soccer players, is currently in post production. A project of Film Independent, the gay sports comedy has already received raving reviews on Queerty and Adelante Magazine.
For over 17 years, he’s worked as a public relations professional at social justice nonprofits. His editorials have been published in the Los Angeles Times, San Diego Union Tribune, Fresno Bee, Dallas Morning News, Miami Herald, Huffington Post, La Opinion, El Diario (New York) and others. He’s been interviewed on several social issues by CNN, PBS, NPR, Univision, and more.
He’s a 2024 Tomorrow’s Filmmakers Today fellow, 2022 Point Foundation grant scholar, 2021 NALIP Emerging Content Creators Initiative scholarship recipient, and 2021 MACEF filmmaker scholarship awardee. He graduated with an MFA in Screenwriting from the AFI Conservatory, earned a Certificate in Television Writing at UCLA, and studied English and Theater at Georgetown University.
Brian Bonilla - Producer
Brian is a producer who grew up in a working-class immigrant community in South Los Angeles. He studied film and television at the California State University in Los Angeles. Brian is also a caseworker at a health and human services provider.
Joe Murphy - Editor
Joe Murphy is a film editor originally from the Pacific Northwest. He's worked on a number of films that have been shown at festivals like Slamdance, SXSW, and LALIFF.
Vidhisha Mahesh - Production Designer
Vidhisha is a writer, filmmaker, and production designer based in Los Angeles. She is currently an MFA candidate in the Programs in Writing at UC Irvine, where she also teaches creative writing.
- Runtime9:05
Stream the curated UCLAxFilmFest 2025 Official Selections here!
Synopsis
Ronnie's daily work life as a physical therapist on house calls can be a bit of a struggle. Today is no different as he visits Leonard, his young patient with cerebral palsy. Ronnie gets permission from Leonard's mom to do the physical therapy exercises at a nearby park. At the park, Leonard has a minor accident, paramedics are called, and Ronnie gets in trouble with his employer. Ronnie is placed on unpaid leave.
The following day, Ronnie interviews for a job at an exclusive rehabilitation center for children of the mega-rich. Ronnie loves the facilities but is disturbed by the wealthy bad parents. Ronnie is offered and accepts the job, but his start day is the same day as Leonard's career day at school. The film ends with Ronnie having to face the tough ultimatum: choosing between starting the new job or showing up to career day at Leonard's school.
Director's Statement
Physical Therapy is a comedy about a gay Latino doctor that must decide between keeping his low-income clients or taking a job at a private practice for kids of the mega-rich. Physical Therapy is inspired by my best friend who's a physical therapist as well as my advocacy work to make healthcare affordable and culturally appropriate for working-class communities.
Our hope with Physical Therapy is to inspire future generations of Latino and LGBTQ people to become doctors. Today, only 7 percent of doctors in the U.S. are Latino, 6 percent of physiotherapists are Latino, and only 5 percent of actors with speaking roles in Hollywood films are Latino. I want to change that.
Crew
Ahuatl Amaro - Writer/Director
Ahuatl is an award-winning queer, Latinx-Indigenous director and writer born and raised in Los Angeles. His LGBTQ comedy films have received critical acclaim and reached audiences worldwide. Warehouse (a workplace comedy about four LGBTQ warehouse workers) received the Festival Favorite Award at the 2024 Cinema Diverse film festival in Palm Springs and was also selected by the 2023 San Diego Latino Film Festival, Boston’s Wicked Queer, OUTShine Fort Lauderdale, Queer Voices New York City, New Filmmakers Los Angeles, New Orleans Queer Film Night, and TransFest Stockholm (Sweden). The film garnered stellar reviews on Movie Maker and Así es la nota.
His latest short film Physical Therapy starring Jason Genao (Netflix's On My Block) was awarded the Immaculate Heart Community Filmmaker Award at the 2024 Los Angeles Shorts International Film Festival, was the Audience Award runner up at the Hola Mexico Film Festival, and a finalist at the Mexican-American Film and Television Festival, Philadelphia Latino Arts and Film Festival, and the International Festival of Independent LGBTQ+ Cinema in Mexico City. The short has been selected by over 20 festivals worldwide and was also a semi-finalist of the Flicker’s Rhode Island International Film Festival, a quarter finalist for the 2023 ScreenCraft Film Film, and received an honorable mention at the 2024 Seville International Film Festival.
His upcoming film Mean Goals, about a mean-spirited team of LGBTQ soccer players, is currently in post production. A project of Film Independent, the gay sports comedy has already received raving reviews on Queerty and Adelante Magazine.
For over 17 years, he’s worked as a public relations professional at social justice nonprofits. His editorials have been published in the Los Angeles Times, San Diego Union Tribune, Fresno Bee, Dallas Morning News, Miami Herald, Huffington Post, La Opinion, El Diario (New York) and others. He’s been interviewed on several social issues by CNN, PBS, NPR, Univision, and more.
He’s a 2024 Tomorrow’s Filmmakers Today fellow, 2022 Point Foundation grant scholar, 2021 NALIP Emerging Content Creators Initiative scholarship recipient, and 2021 MACEF filmmaker scholarship awardee. He graduated with an MFA in Screenwriting from the AFI Conservatory, earned a Certificate in Television Writing at UCLA, and studied English and Theater at Georgetown University.
Brian Bonilla - Producer
Brian is a producer who grew up in a working-class immigrant community in South Los Angeles. He studied film and television at the California State University in Los Angeles. Brian is also a caseworker at a health and human services provider.
Joe Murphy - Editor
Joe Murphy is a film editor originally from the Pacific Northwest. He's worked on a number of films that have been shown at festivals like Slamdance, SXSW, and LALIFF.
Vidhisha Mahesh - Production Designer
Vidhisha is a writer, filmmaker, and production designer based in Los Angeles. She is currently an MFA candidate in the Programs in Writing at UC Irvine, where she also teaches creative writing.
- Runtime9:05
