Ernesto, Gracias

Motherly love and the unbreakable bond of family fuse the lives of director Laura Ángel Córdoba, her mother Liliana and autistic brother Ernesto as they struggle to overcome their economic and medical challenges in Costa Rican society. In this intimate and deeply poetic family portrait, Córdoba’s sensitive lens unmasks the stereotypes and misconceptions that have surrounded her family as they fight to create a safe and joyful space for Ernesto in an unforgiving atmosphere. As Liliana fights through a medical system full of misinformation around treatments for autism, she faces a looming eviction that threatens to destabilize her family and Ernesto’s safety. Amid Liliana’s strife, Córdoba discovers she is pregnant and questions her own ability to be as strong as her mother. In this powerful story of love, perseverance and hope, we discover through a mother’s strength a new and beautiful light shining on the horizon.