Thirteen-year-old Julian lives just miles from the Pacific Ocean, yet he’s never laid eyes on it. His single mother works long hours and avoids places she’s never felt welcome—especially those that don’t feel like they belong to people like her.

One warm school day, inspired by Doña Chabe’s unexpected advice, Julian sets off on a 9-kilometer journey to the beach that borders his agricultural hometown of Watsonville, CA. Along the way, he passes familiar landmarks—the town plaza, vast industrial factories, and the fields that feed the region—each step a quiet rebellion against the boundaries he’s grown up within.

Julian’s simple but courageous walk becomes a powerful act of self-discovery—one that cracks open the world and hints at the dreams that just might be within reach.

Meet the Cast

Erik Omar as Julian

Verónica Pullido as Estela

Ruby Vasquez as Doña Chabe

Special appearance by Cristal González

Meet the Production Team

Eugenia Rentería - Writer, Producer & Director

Eugenia is a filmmaker and educator. Born and raised in a rural community in Zacatecas, Mexico. She attended CSU Monterey Bay and graduated with a B.A. in Cinematic Arts & Technology. Eugenia wrote and directed Amor en Cuarentena, Strawberry Picker, and the award-winning documentary Tierra Fértil. Her work has been showcased at the San Diego Latino Film Festival, the San Francisco Latino Film Festival, and ShortsMexico. She was an inaugural fellow for the Watsonville Film Festival’s Cine Se Puede Fellowship and is an inaugural PBS Ignite Mentorship Program mentee. Eugenia is the co-founder and director of Inspira Studios.

Carlos Campos - Producer & Director of Photography

Carlos is a photographer and filmmaker born and raised in Watsonville, CA. He holds a B.A. in Mass Communication and Journalism from CSU Fresno and a M.F.A, in Social Documentation from UC Santa Cruz. Carlos has been working in his community since 2016, using his skills to highlight important stories, issues, and has created works for various community organizations.

Megan Martinez Goltz - Producer & Audio Recordist

Megan Martinez Goltz is a queer Chicanx filmmaker based in Santa Cruz, California. Megan brings Indigenous traditions to the foreground through collective story-telling and cataloging traditional ways of cultivating food, medicine, and music. Supporting various projects across North America, Megan works as a director, editor and sound recordist. They hold a Bachelor of Arts in Film & Digital Media from the University of California, Santa Cruz. Megan is currently collaborating with cultural organizations to share legacy stories while they complete production on their personal legacy short film titled Bienvenida Abuelita.

Luis Aguirre - Writer

Luis is a Salinas native and son to Mexican parents. He enjoys creating through writing and collaborations with friends. He wrote the series Amor en Cuarentena and has served in the educational field for 9 years as a teacher. His favorite activities include hanging out with family & friends, and watching & listening to comedy podcasts/standup. He has participated in different projects and organizations such as ACFA, SVDA, and Tacos and Tutoring. He likes offering and listening to different perspectives, because there are many ways of being, seeing and living.

Pedro Gonzalez Renteria - Field Producer

Pedro Gonzalez was born in Mexico and raised in Watsonville where he lived for 22 years before moving to Los Angeles to pursue a filmmaking career. His passion for film began at a young age when his dad bought a camera and would direct family sketches. Being part of an immigrant family of 12 has influenced his style of storytelling. Besides working on networks like FOX and TNT, he has directed, produced, and acted in his own short films. Notable works include award winning shorts: “GOODNIGHT” a psychological thriller, and “inAlienable Rights” a film about immigrants persecuted in a dictatorship.

Samantha Cruz - Production Artist & Production Designer

Samantha is a Digital Marketing Creator who graduated from Universidad del Valle de México in Mexico City with a Bachelor’s in Communication Sciences. She has worked in advertising agencies, TV and film production companies and has also developed digital social media marketing strategies for international accounts and local businesses in Mexico City and the U.S. As a Production Artist, her films have shown at several film festivals in the United States and Mexico.

Miguel A. Silva - 1st Assistant Director

Miguel was born in Salinas, CA. He has a degree in Cinematic Arts & Technology and has acquired acting skills in Mexico City to complement his directing skills. He is currently working towards his teaching credentials in bilingualism. He is part of Amor en Cuarentena as Associate Producer and Assistant Director. His hobbies include; hiking, mountain biking, going to the beach, traveling and a good iced coffee.

Paco Serrano - 1st Assistant Camera & Editor

I was born in Mexico City where a surreal air flows through the streets, creating amazing stories and pictures. That air inspires me every day in my work as an editor and cinematographer, and motivates me to keep learning every day in order to bring the best quality to the projects. I love photography, music and movies. I'm a foodie and a fan of tea . I'm a dog lover and I love to do drone photography as a hobby.

Eric Cabrera - 2nd Assistant Camera & Camera Operator

With nearly 10 years of experience as a freelance and full-time camera operator, Eric has spent his fair share of time operating various camera rigs. In recent years, he has really begun to hone his cinematography skills. He hopes productions such as this help locals realize how many talented video production professionals call the Salinas-Watsonville-Santa Cruz area home.

Juan Palomino III - Gaffer

I’m a gaffer and cinematographer born and raised in South Bay and currently based out of Gilroy. One of my passions is working on Latinx productions and bringing Latinx stories to life.

Marcus Cisneros - Key Grip & VFX

Marcus is a Filmmaker, Animator & VFX Artist from the Monterey Bay Area. After graduating from SJSU with a background in design, Marcus gravitates toward the visual aspects of filmmaking. He enjoys shooting, editing, and animating various commercials, narrative shorts, and documentaries. Marcus also loves exploring stories at the intersection of his cultural background and genre-styled filmmaking.

Gerry Arrioja - Music Composer

I was born and raised in Mexico City and have a degree in performing arts and show production. I have dedicated my entire career to live music, composing for media, and performing arts. As a guitar player, studio musician, main composer, music producer, music supervisor, theatrical sound designer, and audio editor, I have worked on theater productions and audiovisual projects such as films and short films. Whether composing for a film, performing on stage, or traveling to new places, I'm always ready for an adventure and excited to see what the future holds.

Fannie Cepeda - Sound Design & Sound Mix

I was born in Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico. I majored in Communication Studies in Bajio which is where I found my passion for sound design. I have been working in the production of audio for radio, video and cinema for more than six years. I have worked on projects with Fox Sports and Facebook. What I love about my profession is bringing image, story, and narrative to life through the creation of sound.

Director’s Statement

Growing up as a filmmaker and educator in Watsonville, CA, I spent years teaching youth from the local migrant community how to tell their own stories through film. The inequities they face—economic, social, and environmental—are deeply rooted and often invisible to those outside the region. One reality that struck me is how many children live just miles from the ocean, yet have never seen it. Despite being surrounded by parks and beaches, access remains limited—due to transportation, time, systemic barriers, and a lingering sense that these spaces aren’t “theirs.”

13 Años, 9 Kilómetros follows Julian, a 13-year-old boy who dares to imagine what exists beyond his daily routine of school and home. After receiving unexpected advice from a stranger, he takes a 9-kilometer walk to see the ocean for the very first time—a quiet act of defiance that becomes a turning point in his young life.

As Julian walks toward Sunset State Beach, the film uses long, wide shots to spotlight Watsonville’s vibrant landscape—from the iconic Watsonville Plaza to the endless strawberry fields that define the region. With minimal dialogue, the story leans into the ambient sounds of his journey, inviting the audience into Julian’s introspective, expansive world.

It’s an honor to collaborate with a talented team of local filmmakers, including producers Megan Martinez Goltz and Carlos Campos. Together, we aim to not only tell this story, but to launch an impact campaign that increases awareness and access to public spaces for youth in our community.

— Eugenia Renteria