Cortez

Cheryl Nichols' directorial debut brims with a well spring of deep emotions. At first, these currents may not be so easily seen, for on the surface the film carries itself with a stoicism that is about as hard-worn as the highways that cut across the Southwestern landscape its story takes place in. In this way Cortez is a film of intersections, of paths laid bare, stretching out towards a horizon sculpted by the powdery eventide of mystery itself. It is a work filled with dreamers long after their dreams have faded, where the reality they must face down, while daunting, just may be far more vibrant and fulfilling than anything they could have ever imagined. Nichols, with her steadfast cast and crew, has sculpted an earthy family drama that doesn't abandon hope, but rather suggests there may be something even more enriching to discover beyond it: a broken and reckless self that is, nonetheless, whole. (Slamdance Film Festival)