“América,” the latest short film from award-winning Brazilian director Aly Muritiba, has released its first trailer.
The 22-minute short, which marks Muritiba’s English-language debut, stars Cheyenne Jackson (“American Horror Story,” “Behind the Candelabra”) and model and TV host Luca Castellani.
“A tender and cinematic exploration of love, identity and belonging, ‘América’ follows Tom (Castellani), a young Brazilian immigrant in search of the American dream, and Josh (Jackson), a writer chasing his next story,” the short’s official synopsis reads. “When their paths cross, an unexpected romance blossoms, until an encounter with an ICE police officer changes everything.”
The trailer shows the beginnings of Tom and Josh’s love story, set against the backdrop of ICE raids in Los Angeles. “They’re not gonna find you,” Josh tells Tom as he grows increasingly concerned for his safety. The clip ends with a tense scene of Tom yelling “Josh!” as he runs for his life.
Muritiba has been recognized at the Cannes, Sundance and Venice film festivals, and his 2013 short “The Factory” made that year’s Oscar shortlist. He directed “The Evandro Case,” a true-crime series that scored nominations at the International Emmy Awards, and his feature “Private Desert” was Brazil’s Oscar submission in 2022. His other credits include “Rust” (2018), “Tarantula” (2015) and episodes of HBO’s “The Hypnotizer,” Netflix’s “Brotherhood,” Globo’s “Jailers,” “Cangaço Novo” at Amazon Prime Video and more.
“América” was produced by Castellani, Eric Michael Kochmer and Nate Lipp under Muritiba Filmes, Cinesthesia Factory and Aspen Studios.
Watch the trailer for “América” below.
Read full article: Aly Muritiba Short About Love Story Threatened by ICE
The post “Aly Muritiba Short About Love Story Threatened by ICE” by Ellise Shafer was published on 10/27/2025 by variety.com