The Compatriots - The Center for Arts in Natick

When:	Sunday, September 14, 2025 \| 2:00pm
Where:	TCAN Cinema Room
All-in Price:	$14 \| Member discounts

Live Q&A with director Spencer Cohen, producer Alberto Sayan, and actor Rafael Silva following screening – This is a rare opportunity to hear directly from the director, producer, and actor about their experiences filming The Compatriots.

The Compatriots tells the story of Javi (Rafael Silva) who is undocumented and on the verge of being deported, when he bumps into his estranged best friend Hunter (Denis Shepherd), a boisterous bachelor yearning for connection. Together, they fight to keep Javi in the only country he’s ever known.

Director’s Statement:

“The Compatriots is inspired by my best friend Alberto (Beto). In high school I found out that Beto didn’t have legal status in this country. Despite the fact that I had known Beto since middle school, I had no idea he was dealing with the continual fear that he and his family could be deported at any moment. In 2012, when Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) was established, Beto finally experienced a temporary shield from the possibility of deportation, along with the ability to work legally in the US.

In 2016, when DACA almost got abolished, Beto, who was just as much an American as me, was yet again facing the possibility of being deported to a country that he hardly even remembered.

That is when I started writing The Compatriots, as a way to release my anxiety during this stressful time, and with the hopes that the film would contribute to some discourse around the subject of immigration. As I learned more about Dreamers (undocumented Americans that are brought to this country at a young age) and how they are stuck in a system with no answers and no pathway to citizenship, this film and the story of so many undocumented Americans like Beto became more personal…” – Spencer Cohen

A portion of the proceeds from ticket sales will be donated to the Massachusetts Immigrant & Refugee Advocacy Coalition. Their tireless work promoting immigrant rights across the commonwealth and providing critical services to those in need makes our support more important than ever.

Awards and Recognition: