See The Keepers

Life for a Latinx immigrant family in the New South can be challenging and sometimes terrifying, but thankfully, there's always a fiesta to take you through the night. Three Latina girls and a seasoned drag artist host their own quinceañera, a complex and colorful rite of passage, showcasing the creative spirit of Latinx communities and their struggles to retain their roots and traditions.

Thousands of Chinese students arrive in the United States each year, often confronting loneliness and culture-clash upon arrival. Arriving in North Carolina to study filmmaking, Hao Zhang is surprised to find a unique community of Chinese students, connected by a newly discovered evangelical Christianity that is often at stark odds with their communist roots in China.

After 25 years of living in the United States, Guatemalan grandmother Juana Ortega is threatened with deportation and soon takes sanctuary in a small North Carolina church. As time passes, and state lawmakers continue to ignore the family's pleas for a stay on her deportation, Juana's spirits slowly sink. And yet, Juana is patient that in God's house, God will answer her prayers.

In a fading Georgia town, a community recalls its dark past and faces a grim present. An undocumented immigrant, caught in legal limbo and facing deportation, contemplates his future. In the midst of it all, a massive, private immigration prison generates millions in profits. Where these stories meet, the hidden epicenter of America's immigration crackdown is revealed-a place called Lumpkin, GA.

Come along with colorful characters carrying on a cherished Mardi Gras tradition as they gather at the epicenter of all things costuming — the family-owned Jefferson Variety fabric and craft store. The film highlights the creativity and personal expression linked in the cultural identity and narrative of New Orleans and provides a deeper look into the significance of costuming and the carnival season.

By Lindsey Phillips and Lauren Domino.