Mission Statement

"El Respiro" is about the nuanced nature of immigration enforcement and how Indigenous communities have to constantly fight for their right to exist. This social impact film will engage people of all political views, shining a light on our unsettling immigration system.

The Story

What would you do if your sibling was an ICE agent who targeted your family business?

We're making an action drama that comments on one of the most important topics in years - immigration control & its connection to our communities.

Sitting on a small neighborhood street in Tucson, Arizona, “El Respiro” is a beloved Indigenous Mexican restaurant. You can find all 3 generations present on any given day. They let the food do the talking & open themselves to people of every walk of life. When you’re in “El Respiro” you are equals. However, when Donald Trump was reelected, the family knew they were in for a rough road ahead.

The Matriarch of the family, “Chonita,” founded the restaurant 45 years ago after her run as a Revolutionary in Mexico. Her entire life has been a reaction to colonialism, war & an imaginary border line. Now, almost 100 years old, Chonita has passed the torch.

Chonita’s granddaughter, El Respiro’s star waitress, is now the lifeblood of the restaurant. Of her 3 sisters, she feels the most responsibility of the family name & business. Waitress is steady, safe & understanding - especially of her cousin, Francisco, who recently joined ICE.

Francisco always wanted to impress his grandmother. He loved all of the stories she told of Mexico. Being brave. After High School, things didn’t go as expected. He dropped out of community college & joined the army. Years later, he ultimately responded to the enticing ICE ad. He didn’t dare tell his family. He respects authority. He agrees with the Trump administration’s view of illegal immigrants. He would be brave once again, this time in his home town.

Detroit was becoming a distant memory. Angelika had left 3 years ago. Her ex, who she had dated since High School, was also law enforcement. When January 6th came, he was on the front lines. Angelika had been seeing him turn toward the rhetoric of the far right, not knowing how to break him of the vicious media machine. She left while he stormed the capital, changed her name & joined the Homeland Security office in Phoenix. Now she lives in Tucson & enjoys the slow lifestyle. Her sense of service, respect & rule of law is still strong. However, the lines were being blurred after her ex. Tucson felt like the right balance, a bit of nuance to her ideals & duties.

On this ordinary day, these characters find themselves in direct conflict with each other. Each, with a life-altering decision to make.

(The Guardian, 2026)

Based on true events

On a quiet morning in Tucson, Arizona, I received a frantic phone call from a friend at the local restaurant. She was simultaneously asking me to rush over with my camera & also live-reacting to the actions of HSI agents. They were demanding the restaurant turn over any undocumented workers. Minneapolis was months away, but ICE had reared its ugly head in our community once again. This time, with a newfound confidence.

The film came to me immediately after my friend’s call. This would be my contribution to the movement. This was my response to the violence & unconstitutional captures. This story represents our steadfast community. It gives a voice to those that have been fighting for generations. It preserves a moment in American history & provides a piece of art for those who have come before us, those fighting alongside us today & for those yet to come.

The community of Tucson is behind this restaurant, but this film will engage many others outside of Tucson. We have a detailed plan for guaranteed screenings through personal connections in AZ, AK, MI & NY. We also have pathways to present this short film at conferences around the country that would allow for open discussion about immigration, ICE & their futures in our communities.

Right time Right place

After 10+ years in the film industry, I have learned so many things that can make a film great. I have also connected with some incredible, diverse crew members that will help champion this. Each department will be lead by a professional in the industry & ensure the finished film is up to the high standard of current audiences. This moment feels like I can finally bring everything together from my years in the industry & make a striking, timely social justice film.

Behind "El Respiro" is a team of industry professionals with extensive experience. We are passionate about creating social impact projects in a fun, engaging, nuanced way. This isn't a Doc for Netflix (however, that might be next).

Ty (Writer/Director) & Francisco (Producer) have been collaborating together on projects funded by Francisco's non-profit "Southern Arizona Film Society" for 2 years now. This includes a Film Festival on the Mexico border wall that screens in both countries at the same time, free hands-on production classes at local businesses & a myriad of films! (including this one). Francisco is actually related to one of the restaurant families that inspired this story.

Rounding out the core team is Paloma (DP), Ryan (Gaffer) & Nolan (Sound) all of which are very close collaborators with Ty. Ryan has been creating with him since 2014! Nolan can share some juicy stories about a feature film they both worked locations on in the desert. Recently Ty shot BTS for a short Paloma DP'd in Los Angeles. It was super fun.

We're proud to be part of the creative community here in Tucson & take telling this story very seriously. The non-profit will ensure we open our set to students & underrepresented artists who want to learn, work, observe, or all of the above!

A professionally trained Journalist & Documentary Filmmaker (UofA, AZPM, Daily Wildcat) Ty has traveled the world telling local stories for non-profit and individual clients. Tucson has been his home base since 2015 where he continues to tell local stories and ensures the growth of the next generation of creatives.

He has worked with Film Festivals such as Greenpoint (Brooklyn), AZ Underground (Tucson) and even founded one with the local Australian Government (Flix in the Stix - Yarram).

Ty believes in the positive propaganda of Films and strives for his to help viewers question their beliefs and current events. He has worked alongside internationally-recognized Directors such as Lesley Chilcott (Netflix), Erik Gandini (Stockholm University), and Philippe Van Leeuw (Vicky Krieps border wall Film). He has also spent more than 10 years on set with: Top Chef, HBO, Sprouts, DJI, Feeding America, and most recently The Black Keys Album Release Documentary.

Francisco is a Mexican American immigrant filmmaker, writer, educator, and arts advocate born in Mexico City and raised in Tucson, Arizona. With over 15 years of experience in producing and mentoring, his work spans independent film, education, and community-centered diversity programs. He is the founder of the Southern Arizona Film Society, a non-profit dedicated to empowering underrepresented voices in cinema. He is also closely related to one of the restaurant families that this story is inspired by.

Paloma is a working Cinematographer trained at UCLA Film School and shaped by her years on set in the Camera Department. She is known Worldwide for her lensing of “Two Beeps” but Ty fell in love with her eye after seeing “Extraña” a short film she created & shot in 2025. She is a 2-time recipient of the Panavision New Filmmaker Grant and is a member of the Chicana Director’s Initiative. For the past year, Ty has been collaborating with her on building the visual language and style that this story deserves.

Ryan, a graduate of both AFI & Columbia Chicago, his excellence in education is only surpassed by his on-set experience. Some of his credits include, “Smoking Tigers” (Tribecca), “American Solitaire” (Variety), and “Miss/Match” (OFTV). He has gaffed for Paloma and works with her often on professional sets. He brings a catalog of knowledge to a project and an artistry to the frame that is hard to find. He’s also super nice.

A Tucson native (pictured at the Jones Photo delivery window), Nolan grew within Arizona before making the move to the big show (Los Angeles). His mixing skills are pretty killer, with major credits for KEHLANI, Caleb Pressley, BET, OXYGEN, and many more. He also knows one of the Tucson families that inspired this story and cares very much about helping local creatives grow. Even with all of this, he's a pretty great rapper too...

Your backing doesn't just fund a film - it supports education & networking! Did we mention your contribution is TAX DEDUCTIBLE? The Southern Arizona Film Society - 501(c)(3) is not only our fiscal sponsor but also the home for our on-going FREE educational program for underrepresented artists in our area.

We buried the lead a bit, huh? This could possibly be the most wholesome project you'll ever come across on the platform. A social justice film that's ALSO a free educational program open to anyone in Southern Arizona, especially those who do not have the resources for higher learning. Unbelievable, truly. This isn't a later thing. We're already 3 classes deep! HERE'S the proof.

But here's the thing. The educational program & the film are TWO DIFFERENT POTS. We worked really hard for a year to secure funding for the program. None of that goes to this film. That's where you come in!

(& counting btw)

Your support makes it possible for us, not just to make this film, educate our local youth, but also to tour film festivals & conferences. We will host conversations with local immigration, law & community leaders. This film will help us engage more deeply in thee unavoidable questions; What is the cost of ICE? Is there a right or wrong way for immigration officers to operate? What should happen after this administration leaves office?

We will also leverage the incredible community screening platform Kinema to make it possible for anyone to host a screening & conversation in their own communities.

Join us in making an action drama that's part cautionary tale, part conversation starter & entirely committed to asking the questions that are currently reshaping the entire country.

Ty has worked hard to get this production budget as slim as possible. This includes in-kind camera, lighting & accessory gear ($4,000+ value), an in-kind location for 2 days! He is also covering the majority cost of travel/lodging. Ryan, Paloma & Nolan live out in La La Land. Ty finds this cost worth it because he trusts them but they will also be incredible teachers to the students on set.

LIGHT THE FIRE

Tell people on your social media that you're "SUPPORTING EL RESPIRO"

Instagram: @elrespirofilm

Feel free to use this photo on your favorite platform :)

HELP US COOK

Whatever you can spare would help us build this beautiful, meaningful story. Don't forget! You will also be able to host a screening of this film in person or virtually for your community.

ENGAGE COMMUNITY

Every screening we can book will help grow the conversation around what ICE means for our communities. Do you have a local screening venue you could put us in touch with? Are there local coffee shops or libraries who want to host a screening & party?

STRETCH GOALS

We plan to run a second fundraising campaign in 2027 for post-production, marketing & distribution, but the more we raise now, the less we have to ask for then!

$20,000 - CUT & COLOR

Ty will give everyone a virtual kiss MUAH

$30,000 - ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK & DESIGN

This covers our local guitar legend, Brian Lopez & also professional sound design from Nolan

$50,000 - THE FULL MONTY

Our all-in-budget allows for a full marketing campaign that includes ads, influencers, popups, plus travel to every film festival, conference & social justice event we screen at.

TAX-DEDUCTIBLE DONATION

Your donation is tax-deductible! El Respiro is a fiscally sponsored project of The Southern Arizona Film Society, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Contributions in support of El Respiro are tax-deductible.

BUILDING AN AUDIENCE FROM DAY 0

Ty firmly believes that the success of a Film relies heavily on making it and the team known before the cameras even roll. This is why he has been creating content for Instagram, informing local and international audiences of news surrounding ICE. Within the first month, he gained over 1 MILLION views, with over 1,500 ORGANIC followers & counting. Not only is this work important to the community, but it also actively engages viewers in the "El Respiro" project. This will directly translate into fans and supporters of the film when it is released.

TY'S SOCIAL AWARENESS PROJECTS

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THANK YOU

FOR YOUR SUPPORT

"El Respiro" Film & Educational Program

Support Ty Atiyeh's poignant short film which will serve as vocational training for emerging & underrepresented filmmakers.