September 16, 2009
Tia Olivia's Quinceañera
Tia Olivia's Quinceañera from raul gutierrez on Vimeo.
I've been digitizing family home movies. This is the earliest I've found. It's my Tia Olivia's 15th birthday. The year should be 1958/59 if my calculations are correct. There is no sound although I've been thinking I should add some period music... Love the bit around 3:10 of all the men sitting on the porch. That's how I remember parties from my childhood in the 70's. Same porch, same cowboy hats. It would be different now. Most of the adults in this video of my grandparent's generation are gone. I miss that world so much and this little movie—more than any movie I have of my own childhood— brings the world of my grandparents all back to me.
to this site
09/16/09 08:41 AM
Joe said...
How lucky you are to have these!
More, please.
09/16/09 04:29 PM
Croma said...
God, I love this.
09/16/09 05:00 PM
Mina said...
Wow. What Chroma said. Those dresses!
My husband is Iranian and these remind me very much of the films he has of Tehran in the 1950s. Do you mind if I ask how you are transferring them.
09/17/09 02:14 PM
Hired gun said...
The man your Tia is hugging between 0:50-:0:54 is your father? Because it couldn't be you.
Awesome video. Wish I had videos like that of my family.
09/17/09 02:18 PM
raul said...
That is indeed my dad... he was about 19 there.
09/21/09 02:38 AM
jude said...
Thank you so much for sharing your family/life/world....that's so similar to mine...Thank you.
09/21/09 06:15 AM
Julie said...
There was something so hopeful and amazing about that movie. It made me nostalgic for something I haven't experienced.
08/15/16 11:37 AM
Claire Kinnen said...
Hi Raul - this is an incredible home movie. I'm the Associate Producer for a documentary on the quinceañera tradition. I'd love to get in touch with you to talk about including it in our film. Please email me at claire (at) dctvny.org when you can! Best - Claire