How to Clean a House in 10 Easy Steps
Filmmaker Carolina González Valencia and her immigrant mother celebrate generational joy in a striking directorial debut that brings a dose of magic and a sense of honor to domestic labor.
Description
Family separation defined the childhood of filmmaker Carolina Gonzalez Valencia, whose mother Beatriz moved to the US from Colombia to provide for her children by working as a domestic house cleaner. Years later, when Gonzalez Valencia tries to make a film about her parent, she discovers it is easier to resort to playful conversations and lots of sequins than it is to probe the immense pain and sacrifice that define her mother’s life. What emerges in this striking directorial debut, replete with playful animated sequences, is a tribute that bends the formal limits of documentary by inviting magic and mischief into the tale. On the brink of another separation, González Valencia and her mother embark on a journey of healing, bringing their community along on an unexpectedly fun ride. How to Clean a House In 10 Easy Steps honors the labor that supports us while celebrating the joy that sustains us. —Bedatri Choudhury
Biographies
Carolina Gonzalez Valencia is a visual artist and filmmaker whose work has exhibited internationally. She previously made a mid-length film tHERE (2011). How to Clean a House in 10 Easy Steps is her feature debut. She is also an associate professor in the Department of Art and Visual Culture at Bates College in Lewiston, Maine.
