As a renegade priest, a mariachi family, and cultural leaders fight to protect their community, Mexican families in New York City turn art, faith, and organizing into tequitl—a sacred duty to stand for one another.
TEQUITL
[teh-keetl] - noun
Duty; communal labor. 2. The deeply ingrained indigenous tradition of working for the survival and benefit of the community.
Tequitl (teh-KEETL): A Sacred Duty, directed and co-produced by Cristy Trabadass, follows Mexican families in New York City who transform their art, faith, and daily lives into a profound act of resistance. Anchored by the 3,000-year-old tradition of Día de Muertos, the film explores tequitl—a sacred, deeply rooted obligation to care for one's community. For these subjects, using their God-given gifts to stand up for justice is not just an action; it is their entire way of life.
The documentary weaves together the lives of frontline advocates fighting a relentless immigration system. In Brooklyn, "renegade priest" Father Juan Carlos Ruiz risks his freedom alongside rapid response networks that have successfully extracted eight families from ICE detention since early 2026. Simultaneously, cultural leaders like Blandie Medina, director of Ballet Folclórico Hispano Guadalupano, and the mariachi students of AMNA use music and movement to preserve their heritage, proving that joy and cultural pride are essential shields for a vulnerable community.
This daily fight becomes intimately personal for the Ponce family, a multi-generational mariachi dynasty. The younger generation, Mariachi Reyes, leverage their growing social media presence to speak out against injustice. But when their aunt Guillermina’s partner is suddenly detained by ICE, the crisis shatters their home life, forcing their digital activism to collide with a devastating reality. Together, these stories embody tequitl not as a heroic anomaly, but as the everyday grit required to protect a community.
About Our Film
Meet the Crew
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Cristy Trabadass
DIRECTOR
Cristy Trabadass is an award-winning writer, director, producer, and co-founder of three South Florida production companies. With eight years of experience across narrative and documentary filmmaking, she is an alumna of Florida State University and the Sundance Ignite Fellowship. Her versatile portfolio includes collaborations with HBO and Rolling Loud, and credits including MobKing, Baked Goods, HABIT, and Savage Lands, executive produced by Snoop Dogg. A dedicated mentor and NALIP member, her work is currently streaming on Apple TV+, HBO Max, Prime Video, and Tubi. -
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Lapacazo Sandoval
PRODUCER
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Reb Bevis
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY
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SUNIL
PRODUCER
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ART SHIRAN
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER
