We are in process on ESCARAMUZA: RIding from the Heart. This feature documentary tells the story of Escaramuza Charra Las Azaleas, a team of first-generation Mexican American horsewomen on a two-year journey to represent California and the United States at the National Charro Championships in Mexico.

America’s original rodeo, rooted in the cattle culture of Colonial Mexico, Charreada blends the equestrian skills, handcrafted tack, elegant costumes, music, and food of that rich heritage into a living folk tradition. Between the men’s riding and roping contests, the female escaramuzas charras perform their perilous, precision horse ballets, bending and twisting their galloping reining horses around each other in intricate synchronized patterns, like weaving a hair braid at warp speed.

For the eight young members of Las Azaleas, “escaramuza”—skirmish—describes not only the danger and fierceness of competition, but the tug of war between New World modernity and freedom versus the Old World traditions and values embodied in their Charrería culture, where “to be Charro is to be Mexican.”

Confronting obstacles both known and unforeseen on their path from California to Mexico, their sometimes difficult choices demonstrate the values of goal-setting, teamwork, personal responsibility and sacrifice, grace under pressure, and strong family ties—making Las Azaleas inspiring role models in a world where Latina female athletes are few and far between.

At home, as California and U.S. champions, Las Azaleas work hard to pass on their inherited tradition and values to the next generation—their sons and daughters, little brothers and little sisters. In Mexico, competing against the very best of the best, they must come to terms with their own complicated relationship to the culture they love.

We began making ESCARAMUZA in May of 2008. We’ve completed two years of shooting, and we’re now in the midst of editing the movie from the more than 175 hours of material we’ve collected.

To learn how you can support the completion of ESCARAMUZA, click here.

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