a.k.a Kathe

Minda Martin
2000. United States of America. vo English. s Spanish. 56’

"a.k.a. Kathe is a portrait of a Mexican-American family from Tucson, Arizona confronting the loss of a family member, Kathe. Kathe was fatally shot by a young man who through the course of this documentary is tried and sentenced to only one year.

I formed relationships with Kathe's older sisters, Stella & Cindy. Like Kathe, they are also trapped in a cycle of drugs and prostitution. I also interviewed Kathe’s eleven-year-old son, Johnny whose development into a troubled adolescent is documented. My relationship with them evolved during their videotaping over three years. Kathe's sisters were initially hesitant to talk to me. However, they became more trusting while Kathe's son became more distant. It is through their voices that Kathe’s life and demise is recounted.

a.k.a. Kathe not only portrays the life of a drug-addicted street prostitute, it also shows the repeating cycle of violence towards women".