TOO LITTLE TOO LATE
A documentary film.
When the Pajaro levee breaches, an already vulnerable community fights to keep what little they have from going under water.
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Why Now:
Even though the Pajaro Valley levee never reached flood level status, it collapsed in the early hours of March 11, 2023. When we woke up to see the devastation unfolding in our backyard, at first we were concerned, then we jumped in our cars, ready to help. Seeing our family, friends, and neighbors leave their flooded homes, carrying their scared kids and few belongings, we started documenting. As the days went by, the stories of disparities started to surface, lending urgency to keep the voices of the community heard even as national media attention dissolved. The flood completely altered the town and had a deep impact on the hard-working people of the community, the businesses, and the environment. We want to shine light on the inequality they faced, how the system failed them, and how, nevertheless, the community continues to find ways to move forward together. This documentary will juxtapose the realities of climate, racial, and economic injustice as we head towards an unpredictable future of climate catastrophe.
In the days after the levee break, we were struck by a comment by displaced resident Laura Garcia, “Pajaro isn't on the list of places to save. It's an abandoned place.”
We are from this community. We have a strong bond and connection not only to tell this story, but to do it from a place of compassion. Our process will always be holistic and sensitive because these characters are our own family and friends. As the months have gone on, and the drama has dissipated, we've seen interest quickly fade from both media and government agencies who are supposed to help. We who are still here have to tell this story.
Creative Team
Eugenia Renteria - Director & Producer
Eugenia is an award-winning Mexican filmmaker. She was selected as a mentee in the PBS Ignite Mentorship for Diverse Voices program and participated as an inaugural fellow in the Watsonville Film Festival's Cine Se Puede Fellowship. In 2024, she received the Nexties Award for Visual Artist of the Year.
Eugenia directed the Sound Field PBS digital series episode on the global phenomenon of Sierreño. She has also written and directed "Amor en Cuarentena," "Strawberry Picker," "13 Años, 9 Kilómetros," and "Tierra Fértil." Her film "Tierra Fértil" premiered at Mexico City's Cineteca Nacional and later aired on Mexico's Canal 22. Her series “Amor en Cuarentena” received the New York Latino Film Festival’s Best Futuro Webseries award. Her films have been showcased at the Mill Valley Film Festival, the San Diego Latino Film Festival, and ShortsMexico. She is a proud alumna of Cal State Monterey Bay, where she earned her B.A. in Cinematic Arts & Technology, and is the founder of Inspira Studios.
Carlos Campos - Director & Producer
Carlos Campos is a filmmaker born and raised in Watsonville, California and attended CSU Fresno where he obtained a bachelor's degree in Mass Communication and Journalism with an emphasis in Multimedia and later attended UC Santa Cruz where he obtained a Masters in Fine Art from the Social Documentation program.
Carlos’s journey began as a means to preserve and celebrate the stories, struggles and triumphs of the people who call Watsonville home. Carlos is not only a storyteller, but also a dedicated advocate for his community’s voice. His work has been showcased at various festivals like The Broadcast Education Association, Watsonville Film Festival and New York Latino Film Festival. He was an inaugural fellow for the Watsonville Film Festival’s Cine Se Puede Fellowship. His work exemplifies the power of visual storytelling for preservation, social change and empowerment. Carlos strives to inspire and enlighten his audience, inviting them to see the beauty of his community through a new perspective.
María Victoria Ponce - Producer
Maria Victoria Ponce is a San Francisco Bay Area film writer, director and producer. Ponce’s work navigates the complexities in the routine lives within poor and working-class neighborhoods: themes of immigration, sexuality and coming of age tend to recur. Through film, she aims to highlight the breadth and depth of the Latine experience. Ponce has been a fellow at NALIP Latino Media Market, Sundance/WIF Financing Intensive, Film Independent Fast Track, SFFILM FilmHouse, Tribeca/AT&T Untold Stories, and PBS for “The Latino Experience.” Most recently she was named the Rainin Fellow in Film 2022 through the Kenneth Rainin Foundation.
Ponce has produced a number of projects, among them the indie features TORN and BEING US and the documentary ENGAGE HER. Engage Her follows minority women sharing their personal history and reasons for avoiding the political process; it features Congresswoman Barbara Lee, United Farm Workers co-founder Dolores Huerta, civil rights activist Aileen Hernandez, Voto-Latino founder Maria Teresa Kumar, and internment camp survivor Margaret Ouye.
Alex Santana Jr - Associate Producer
Alex Santana Jr is a filmmaker dedicated to oral histories of marginalized communities. In 2014, Alex received a prestigious university award, the Dean Arts Award, for his first short documentary titled Midnight Warrior, which went to screen at the Santa Cruz and Watsonville Film Festivals. In 2016, Alex Co-Produced and directed a Trailblazer Oral History project that focused on preserving the stories of LGBTQ+ community members and their contributions to the Queer movement in Santa Cruz County between the 1970s - early 2000s. The project became a permanent installation at the Santa Cruz Museum of Art History and has been on display since 2017. Through audio stories and documentary portraits, Alex leverages his decade of experience as a video and media professional to preserve the unique narratives of families and communities in Santa Cruz County. Alex searches for projects that resonate with a larger cause and focus. Today, Alex works as the Associate Director of Student Media at the University of Santa Cruz, where he helps advise and guide the next generations of media makers.
Paco Serrano - Editor
Paco is a post-producer and editor born and raised in Mexico City. He graduated from Universidad del Valle de México with a Bachelor’s degree in Communication Sciences. He worked in post-production agencies in México editing and delivering advertising pieces for clients such as Siemens, Audi, Herdez, and Bimbo. Paco also developed a love for photography and filmmaking.
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