At Colorado College, film and media majors are required to complete a senior thesis: a year-long creative and critical process presented in a public screening of each student’s completed work. This year, three male filmmakers: Torin Schulte ‘27, Orion Cenkl ‘27 and Liam Cardenas Ferguson ‘27 are preparing to travel to Barrio Patronato, Chile, to begin work on their film about Chilean-Palestinians, currently titled “Palestino.”
The three filmmakers are close friends who have had opportunities to develop and create work of their own, with their films making appearances at festivals where, according to the group, they have done “pretty well.” Now, with the opportunity and privilege of dedicating an entire year to a single film, the three recognize the value of the time and space they have been given to bring their vision to life.
So, what can “Palestino” bring to this team of filmmakers? The film explores how C.D. Palestino, a professional football club, has provided a space for members of the Palestinian diaspora to maintain a sense of belonging. The first challenge is language. As Cenkl explains, neither he nor Schulte speaks Spanish, leaving Ferguson to take the lead in navigating conversations and communicating with locals.
As Schulte puts it, the process involves “getting to know and getting comfortable with the people down there, as we’re coming as super outsiders and trying to paint an authentic portrait of a place we’re not from at all.”
Navigating the challenges of being the outsiders requires the filmmakers to remain mindful of their responsibilities, both as professionals and as a team.
“We’re not filming anything for the first week,” Schulte explains. Cardenas Ferguson expands on the privilege of having the time and flexibility to build relationships before filming begins, acknowledging that “with the camera, there’s always going to be a hierarchy.”
They hope to approach filming with a sense of curiosity and enjoyment, allowing “Palestino” to evolve as they explore its potential. However, the film’s title carries political implications that the team recognizes may shape how audiences interpret the project during screening.
Cardenas Ferguson explains, “while this film may be seen as inherently political,” he does not intend for it to serve as a definitive statement on behalf of Palestinians. Rather, he emphasizes their support for “this group of people who have been historically underrepresented, oppressed, and genuinely just, like, thrown out of their homes.”
The film is not for any one audience. It is not to cater to Palestine activists or football fans, but intends to serve as a cultural portrait that explores the realities, hardships and trauma, alongside the beauty and resilience, of what it means to be Palestinian-Chilean.
Schulte, Cenkl, and Cardenas Ferguson will travel to Chile around late November to begin their filmmaking journey. They will return to Colorado College in late December. The film will first be screened on campus at Edith Kinney Gaylord Cornerstone Arts Center, and will then eventually be screened in New York and other locations, sharing their work with wider audiences and bringing greater attention to the story they aim to tell.
Correction: This article has been updated to correct Liam Cardenas Ferguson’s name. An earlier version of this article excluded “Cardenas.” Updated on Oct. 30 at 1:30pm.