The Project

At Hidalga, our goal is to make a good story well told. If the human story and artistic craft are in place, everything trickles down from there. This approach was central to Team Meryland, a short documentary that follows the journey of Meryland Gonzalez, a 12-year-old daughter of Mexican immigrants, living in the Watts projects. Meryland has a singular dream: to compete in the Junior Olympics, despite grappling with an unknown health condition and the challenges of immigrant life. It portrays inspiring themes of family, resilience, and second chances.

Craft: Building the Story

Hidalga places an immense value on the art of filmmaking. Gabe, Hidalga’s founder, personally directed, edited, and shot the film over the course of three years, crafting each frame and edit thoughtfully. Joining him were filmmakers Julia Elihu (producer) and Jason Phillips (co-producer), who brought narrative storytelling and additional expertise to the project. They developed countless iterations with lots of feedback until they landed on the strongest version.

Musically, the film was composed by Raphael Dargent, whose score was brought to life through an orchestral recording by Moscow Bow Tie. Sound design and mixing were handled by Cabba Jiaxuan Cai, resulting in a theatrical 5.1 sound mix that delivered immersive audio quality to match the emotional weight of the film.

‍Team Meryland wasn't just a documentary – it was an emotionally charged journey that told a universal story of hope and determination. After a successful festival run, it was quickly acquired by The New Yorker and PBS, both recognizing the film’s deep potential to connect with broad audiences.

Impact: Building a Campaign

Team Meryland evolved into a catalyst for community empowerment, sparking conversations and action beyond the screen.

After being acquired by The New Yorker and PBS, we launched an impact campaign that began with screenings in Meryland’s community in the Watts projects and extended to public housing in New York through partnerships with the Center for Justice Innovation. Corporate events facilitated by Storybolt introduced the film to spaces focused on female empowerment and social change, while educational screenings at institutions like the National Hispanic Cultural Center were supported by PBS discussion guides to inspire dialogue.

As the film gained traction, Gabe spearheaded a comprehensive outreach campaign with PBS, distributing Team Meryland to schools and community organizations across the U.S. Screenings became part of major programs like SPARK! Arts Enhancement, FilmSlam Streams, Filmmaker in the Classroom sessions, and Big Sky Documentary Film Festival’s education department, impacting thousands of students.

The film earned awards at several Oscar-qualifying festivals, including Big Sky Doc Fest, Palm Springs, HollyShorts, and Indy Shorts, and was part of an Academy campaign focused on family, Latin representation, and female empowerment.

By the end of the campaign, Team Meryland had screened at universities like Columbia, USC, UCLA, and was integrated into the CalArts documentary program.The film's journey – from its commitment to high-quality craftsmanship to its educational outreach and community screenings – serves as a testament to Hidalga’s commitment to using art to inspire action and foster change.

This experience shows the potential of what Hidalga can offer to foundations looking to bring their core issues to light. With the right story, we can build a movement that resonates long after the credits roll.