Memories of a Penitent Heart

Twenty-five years after her uncle Miguel died from AIDS, filmmaker Cecilia Aldarondo begins a journey into his past that leads her to attempt to resolve a decades-old family drama. In doing so, she uncovers never healed wounds and an aching desire to bring closure to what has morphed into a family tragedy revolving around the homosexuality of her beloved uncle. Moving from Puerto Rico to New York City in the 1980s, Miguel established a thriving career in theater and a loving relationship – both cut short by his battle with AIDS. As Cecilia delves into her uncle’s life, she tracks down Miguel’s lover, Robert, who was spurned and disregarded by her family and has since become a priest. Utilizing recently discovered home movies and interviews with Robert, family members, and Miguel’s friends, a vivid and emotionally palpable portrait emerges of a man taken in the prime of life, grappling to reconcile his homosexuality with his Catholic upbringing and the prejudices of those who perhaps loved him best. In uncovering the truth of the past and confronting it in the present, Cecilia movingly connects once again with her beloved uncle. This Tribeca Film Festival premiere has been hailed by the Village Voice as “exceptional” and “profoundly affecting.”

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