State of Grace (2019)

State of Grace is a short (4-minute) film documenting an artistic rendition of a transformative dream. It is based on filmmaker Lourdes Portillo’s experience confronting illness. After being diagnosed with cancer, Portillo had a vivid dream in which her family members and ancestors who have died surround her in a circle. The film involves a moment when time stands still and one is filled with profound feelings that many think of as fleeting. Gratitude and hope, for example, are rarely discussed in relationship to illness. In the moment of sorrow, pain, and illumination, the film culminates in a state of grace.