Visitor's Day

Three hours from Mexico City, at-risk boys thrive in a rural group home that offers counseling, job training, and perhaps most importantly, hope, something that few of the young residents have ever experienced. The title of this quietly observant documentary from Oakland filmmaker Nicole Opper refers to the most anticipated day at the facility - or the most heartbreaking, as in the case of lonely teenager Juan Carlos, a runaway who longs to reconnect with the father who abandoned him years ago. The film traces Juan's complicated emotional journey, as he bonds with his new brothers at the home tending goats and working in their factory where they produce artisanal cheese. The journey is not without conflict or tears, but ultimately Visitor's Day is an uplifting story of transformation and renewal and the possibility of a brighter future. (Mill Valley Film Festival)