During the turbulent and violent California mission era, an Indigenous young man is forced into Christianity and service as a mission guard. He must now choose between allegiance to his tribe or to Spain and the Christian Church. His decision will cost either his identity or his life.
Multiple national and international award winner.
Although this could be regarded as a "period" piece, it deals with the contemporary issue of revisionist history, particularly that of a 'forgotten' people, the California Indians.
During the turbulent and violent California mission era, an Indigenous young man is forced into Christianity and service as a mission guard. He must now choose between allegiance to his tribe or to Spain and the Christian Church. His decision will cost either his identity or his life.
Multiple national and international award winner
ALTA CALIFORNIA deals with questions of identity, dispossession, dehumanization and the tools used by the conquerors to achieve their goals.
Selected for All Genre Screenplay Contest
Finalist in Filmmatic “Pitch Now” screenplay competition
Finalist in Creative Screenwriting Screenplay Contest
Finalist in Pitch Now Screenplay Competition
Finalist in Finish Line Script Competition
Finalist in both the Best Action/Adventure and Global Script Challenge of the 2018 Oaxaca FilmFest
Winner of Partner in Industry Award at 2018 Oaxaca Film Festival
Award Winner, Depth of Field International Film Festival, Nassau, DE. 2020
Finalist - 2020: Toronto's Film Festival of Time: Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Horror & History
Best Writer, Prix Royal, 2020
Finalist, Australasia's Film Festival of time, 2020
Semi-finalist, Page Turner International Film Festival
Semi-finalist, Sirota Finish Line Social Impact, 2020
Finalist, Film Lot, 2020
Award Winner of the 1st Edition of Global Monthly Online Film Competition
Award Winner and Best Feature for Los Angeles Film Awards, 2020
Selected for Austin Revolution Film Festival, 2020
Award Winner for kalakari film fest, 2020
Awardd Winner, Los Angeles Film Awards, 2020
Award Winner, Madras International Film Festival, 2020
Award Winner. Wonderland International Film Festival, 2020.
--OFFICIAL SELECTON,. Paris Arts and Movie Awards PAMA, 2020
--SEMI-FINALIST. TIROTA_FINISH LINE SOCIAL IMPACT SCRIPT COMPETION, 2020
--FINALIST. BEYOND THE CURVE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL, 2020Lone
-- FINALIST LONELY SEAL INTERNATIONAL FILM, SCREENPLAY AND MUSIC FESTIVAL, 2020. CANNES AWARD, 2020
-AWARD WINNER. Summer Edition of Point of View Indie Film Awards, 2020.
AWARD WINNER. Lonely Wolf (London) International Film Festival, 2020
AWARD WINNER, Global Film Festival (LA), 2020. Best feature.
BEST DRAMA FEATURE SCREENPLAY/AWARD WINNER, Los Angeles Film Awards, 2020
AWARD/SCRIPT WINNER. The Film Club/Lot of Australia, 2020.
OFFICIAL SELECTION. U.K.. Film Festival (London), 2020)
“Exquisite”. Lonely Wolf International Film Festival.
SERRA
I won’t be here in the morning. Do you think I wait for authorization from Captain de Neve while this—
PALIDO
Say it! This heathen whose mother was a savage, a whore unbaptized at her death. Say it! Her soul burns in the everlasting flames of hell. Eternal damnation. Say it!
CRESPI
Palido, the Padre didn’t . . .
PALIDO
Remind me that no matter how much I study the scriptures, how much I fall on my knees and pray, how many ‘Hail Marys,’ I say, how many times I confess and beg forgiveness, for you the heathen is here, inside me, always!
Selected for All Genre Screenplay Contest
Finalist in Filmmatic “Pitch Now” screenplay competition
Finalist in Creative Screenwriting Screenplay Contest
Finalist in Pitch Now Screenplay Competition
Finalist in Finish Line Script Competition
Finalist in both the Best Action/Adventure and Global Script Challenge of the 2018 Oaxaca FilmFest
Winner of Partner in Industry Award at 2018 Oaxaca Film Festival
Award Winner, Depth of Field International Film Festival, Nassau, DE. 2020
Finalist - 2020: Toronto's Film Festival of Time: Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Horror & History
Best Writer, Prix Royal, 2020
Finalist, Australasia's Film Festival of time, 2020
Semi-finalist, Page Turner International Film Festival
Semi-finalist, Sirota Finish Line Social Impact, 2020
Finalist, Film Lot, 2020
Award Winner of the 1st Edition of Global Monthly Online Film Competition
Award Winner and Best Feature for Los Angeles Film Awards, 2020
Selected for Austin Revolution Film Festival, 2020
Award Winner for kalakari film fest, 2020
Awardd Winner, Los Angeles Film Awards, 2020
Award Winner, Madras International Film Festival, 2020
Award Winner. Wonderland International Film Festival, 2020.
--OFFICIAL SELECTON,. Paris Arts and Movie Awards PAMA, 2020
--SEMI-FINALIST. TIROTA_FINISH LINE SOCIAL IMPACT SCRIPT COMPETION, 2020
--FINALIST. BEYOND THE CURVE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL, 2020Lone
-- FINALIST LONELY SEAL INTERNATIONAL FILM, SCREENPLAY AND MUSIC FESTIVAL, 2020. CANNES AWARD, 2020
-AWARD WINNER. Summer Edition of Point of View Indie Film Awards, 2020.
AWARD WINNER. Lonely Wolf (London) International Film Festival, 2020
AWARD WINNER, Global Film Festival (LA), 2020. Best feature.
BEST DRAMA FEATURE SCREENPLAY/AWARD WINNER, Los Angeles Film Awards, 2020
AWARD/SCRIPT WINNER. The Film Club/Lot of Australia, 2020.
OFFICIAL SELECTION. U.K.. Film Festival (London), 2020)
-OFFICIAL SELECTION, Mediterranean Film Festival, 2020)
--AWARD WINNER, Andaman and Nocobar International Film Festival, 2020
--AWARD WINNER. Indo French International Film Festival, 2020
--SEMI FINALIST. Fade In Awards-True Story/Biopic. 2020
--OFFICIAL SELECTION, Five Continents International Film Festival, 2021
“Exquisite”. Lonely Wolf International Film Festival.
SERRA
I won’t be here in the morning. Do you think I wait for authorization from Captain de Neve while this—
PALIDO
Say it! This heathen whose mother was a savage, a whore unbaptized at her death. Say it! Her soul burns in the everlasting flames of hell. Eternal damnation. Say it!
CRESPI
Palido, the Padre didn’t . . .
PALIDO
Remind me that no matter how much I study the scriptures, how much I fall on my knees and pray, how many ‘Hail Marys,’ I say, how many times I confess and beg forgiveness, for you the heathen is here, inside me, always!