ABOUT THE FILM
Inspired by true events, TOY PLANES DON'T CRASH follows the lives of a Mexican-American family in the events following their immigration and the September 11th attacks.
When Leo's father loses his job as an airline pilot after September 11th, their perfect lives start to unravel. Determined to follow in his father's footsteps, 7-year-old Leo relies on him as inspiration for his career day poster for school. But when his mother begins to question their decision on immigrating to the United States, his parents question their future, and he begins questioning his love for aviation.
DIRECTOR'S STAEMENT
Few films talk about 9/11 from the perspective of pilots, whether it's the ones who lost their jobs, or those who kept their jobs but feared their next flight could be their last.
Few films focus on non blue-collar immigrants and how they can still face hardships and setbacks in the United States.
Few films talk about the perils of immigration from the perspective of a child who has no clue why their parents are stressed every minute of every day. Even fewer accurately portray the confusion of your identity that comes with being a child of immigrants.
TOY PLANES DON'T CRASH isn't in your face about these topics, but doesn't shy away from showing the harsh reality of them either. I want this film to serve as an inspiration for artists who, like me, were put in a unique situation growing up and never saw our struggles represented in film. Let it be a guiding light, empowering them to courageously share their stories, illuminating the path towards inclusivity and authenticity in the world of art.
CAST & CREW
Emilio Vazquez Reyes - Director, Writer
Emilio is a Mexican-American writer and director from Frisco, Texas and first year Film and Television major at UCLA. While in high school, his debut short film, HONEYBEE, was officially selected and won awards at multiple film festivals including, SXSW Film Festival, BFI Future Film Festival, NewFilmmakers Los Angeles, and the Academy-Award-Qualifying San Francisco International Film Festival. In his senior year, he co-founded GORETTI PICTURES, his film production company, with his brother and actor, Nicolas Vazquez Reyes.
David Velez - Producer
David is a Mexican-American writer, director, editor, and producer from El Paso, Texas and a graduate of the University of North Texas. He co-founded WATCHALE, a Texas-based collective of filmmakers aiming to further the representation of unique Latino backgrounds through narrative and documentary film. Their most recent short film, THE SIDEWALK ARTIST, won the Grand Jury Award at the Slamdance Film Festival and was included in Vimeo’s STAFF PICKS Best of the Year selection.
Nicolas Vazquez Reyes - Actor
Nicolas is a Mexican-American actor from Frisco, Texas and a third year Media Arts major at University of North Texas. He co-founded GORETTI PICTURES alongside his brother, Emilio. Prior to his time at UNT, Nicolas participated in numerous theater productions in the North Dallas area while being taught and mentored by Award-Winning Actress Shannon Kearns. Apart from acting, Nicolas has experience in directing and photography, with his polaroids being featured in Smithsonian Magazine.