“Mother of Color,” Starring Multnomah County Commissioner Candidate Ana del Rocio, Is Returning to the Big Screen

The movie, about a single mom with dreams of running for office, screens Wednesday, March 1, at Cinema 21.

Mother of Color (Dawn_Jones)

After a sold-out premiere last year, Mother of Color, a feature from Portland filmmaker Dawn Jones Redstone (who was profiled in WW’s issue dedicated to women filmmakers), returns to the big screen, Wednesday, March 1, at Cinema 21.

Mother of Color tells the story of Noelia, a single mother of two who dreams of running for office. When she’s offered the chance to interview for a position with a local commissioner (played by Jo Ann Hardesty!), she begins receiving messages from her ancestors, bringing an eerie new dimension to the drama.

The film is inspired by its star, Ana del Rocío, a single mother of two who is running for Multnomah County Commissioner District 3. She is the only person of color currently in the race and is seeking to fill the seat vacated by Jessica Vega Pederson.

In a press release, Jones Redstone stated, “The whole reason I turn to art and work so hard to make movies, is because when we get it right, cinema can bring us understanding, relief and connection. If this film helps to illuminate the experiences of someone like Ana so that we can support her leadership, that’s a complete success for me. I’ve always envisioned the film as a potential platform for her voice.”

Tickets for Mother of Color are available via Cinema 21.

Willamette Week’s reporting has concrete impacts that change laws, force action from civic leaders, and drive compromised politicians from public office. Support WW's journalism today.