Echo Chamber - 380 - Part Two (Abrazo)
You can hear ‘Part One’ of this week’s episode, HERE!!!
We are hitting you with a ‘Part TWO’ of @EchoChamberFP once again this week!
And Kelli McNeil-Yellen came through with a really interesting short film. This story is poignant and influenced by things happening in the world. We also had the opportunity to conversate with the director/co-writer and star of the film. She shared her experience of filmmaking and what spawned this tale.
'Abrazo' is directed by Paola Baldion, who co-wrote with Ray Figueroa. Luz, a young pregnant Central American migrant, accidentally finds shelter in the house of Norma (Kathleen O'Grady), a North American conservative woman.
Watch the conversation with Paola Baldion HERE!
In 'Part Two' we have:
Abrazo - Poster
Abrazo
Watch Review: Here.
Indie Short Fest, LA, World Premiere: October 2023
Digital Release Date: 5th April 2025
Director: Paola Baldion
Cast: Paola Baldion, Kathleen O'Grady, Walter Hyman, Kevin Brian, Jackson Gutierrez, Andrew Maiorano, Vicki Syal, Kendall Foote
Credit: Dos Almas Films
Genre: Drama, Short
Running Time: 16:57 min
Cert: 15
Trailer: Here.
Watch via YouTube: Here.
Website: Here.
Watch the conversation with Paola Baldion HERE!
Paola Baldion
Paola Baldion
Writer, Director, Producer, Editor, Actor
Paola Baldion is an award-winning actress, director, and producer of Colombian and European heritage. Born in Paris and raised in Italy and Colombia, Paola is a multilingual Latina artist fluent in Spanish, English, Italian, and French. She began performing at age four in her parents' marionette theater and later trained under renowned masters Edgardo Román and Paco Barrero in Bogotá, followed by HB Studios in New York and Stephanie Feury Studio in Los Angeles. She holds a BFA in Theater and Film Studies from Concordia University in Montreal.
Paola made her feature film debut in the lead role of Marina in Retratos en un Mar de Mentiras (Portraits in a Sea of Lies), which premiered at the Berlin and Guadalajara film festivals. Her performance earned her the Colombian Academy Award for Best Actress, along with Best Actress honors at the Guadalajara and Amiens International Film Festivals.
As co-founder of Dos Almas Films, she has directed impactful short films and documentaries, including For Alma and I Am Migration-a documentary where she and partner Jamie Toll travel across the U.S., offering free DNA tests to explore ancestry and identity.
Her latest fiction film, Abrazo, tells the emotional story of a pregnant Central American woman crossing the U.S. border. The film has received 29 festival awards, including Best Film, Best Director, Best Writer, and Best Actress. Through her body of work, Paola continues to champion stories about identity, migration, and social justice-bringing visibility to underrepresented voices in both dramatic and comedic roles.
Follow Paola via:
IMDb: Here.
Website: Here.
Facebook: Here.
Instagram: @paolabaldion
Watch Paola's films via Prime Video: Here.
Watch Paola's films via Prime Video UK: Here.
Dos Almas Films
Dos Almas Films
Dos Almas Films is an art and film production company based in Los Angeles California. We are artists and storytellers dedicated to create content across all platforms.
Follow via:
Website: Here.
Instagram: @dos_almas_films
YouTube: Here.
You can hear ‘Part One’ of this week’s episode, HERE!!!
*(Music)
'The Big Payback' (Instrumental) by EPMD - 2020