San Francisco filmmaker highlights emotional toll of being undocumented

SAN FRANCISCO – For 16 years, filmmaker Mabel Valdiviezo lived in the U.S. as an undocumented immigrant, unable to return to her family in Lima, Peru. In her latest documentary, “Prodigal Daughter,” Valdiviezo explores the emotional toll of being separated from her loved ones for over a decade.
Valdiviezo’s film is deeply personal and rooted in her own experiences.
The journey for Valdiviezo began in her San Francisco home, where she started painting portraits of her mother. Paintings featured prominently in “Prodigal Daughter” symbolize the emotional connection she maintained with her family despite the distance. 
The film, however, is not just about her artistic process. Valdiviezo explains that it reflects the reality faced by millions of undocumented immigrants who feel trapped in the U.S., unable to leave.
“It doesn’t stop when you gain your status. It’s almost like a PTSD that continues for a while, and I remember having nightmares… immigration police coming, breaking in through my window and taking me somewhere,” Valdiviezo said, describing the long-lasting psychological effects of living undocumented.
“Prodigal Daughter” opens the 16th San Francisco Latino Film Festival, a platform for showcasing stories like Valdiviezo’s. Festival director Lucho Ramirez emphasized the importance of sharing these diverse migration stories.
“Not every migration story is the same, and I think that’s part of the beauty of Mabel’s background—how she came to be living here in San Francisco as an undocumented person, as a creative person. And of course, the problems that people have that are universal,” said Ramirez.
The festival features a variety of films, covering topics such as immigration, Artificial Intelligence, and socio-economic challenges. However, Valdiviezo’s story sheds light on a larger issue: the mental health struggles faced by undocumented immigrants. According to a 2022 study, nearly 40% of undocumented immigrants report significant mental health challenges due to prolonged separation from their families.
“When people experience this level of separation, it is grief. It’s grieving the missed years, the missed opportunities, the missed connections that we don’t get to have with our family members. Undocumented folks describe it as an immense amount of pain,” explained therapist Luis Cornejo.
For Valdiviezo, the journey to healing continues, but she finds solace in the reconnection with her family.
“It gives me joy now when I see this, I cry many times. The joy is that we went through this experience and now we are in a place of reconnection,” she said.
Through “Prodigal Daughter,” Valdiviezo hopes to inspire others to tell their own stories and find their own paths to healing.
“Prodigal Daughter” is just one of many films featured at the 16th San Francisco Latino Film Festival, running from October 11th to November 3rd, 2024. The festival includes virtual and in-person screenings at venues like the Roxie Theater, Mission Cultural Center, and Yerba Buena Center for the Arts.