INCLINE VILLAGE, Nev. – Jennifer Tiexiera, a graduate from Incline High, is showing “SPEAK.” and “Rebbeca”, two documentaries at the 11^th Tahoe Film Fest this year. Both films explore culture, underrepresented voices and a sense of belonging—all themes that are close to Tiexiera’s heart.

Tiexiera grew up in Oakland, but moved to Tahoe when she was eight years old. “My dad had a dream of raising us here, and to this day, it’s still one of the most beautiful places in the world to me,” she said. Tiexiera attended Incline High and said she felt so much love and support from her community her. In fact, she and her partner still own businesses here, including the cocktail bar Gaviota, which she says they made as a place for locals.

Still, Tiexiera said she was conflicted. Leaving Oakland and coming to Tahoe did raise questions for her, especially around her identity. “I left and didn’t look back for a really long time.” As a filmmaker, her work has typically been in films that follow themes of cultural identity and social justice. She is one of the co-founders of Lady & Bird, a female-led documentary production company focused on telling stories from underrepresented voices.

She directed two films showing at the Tahoe Film Fest: “SPEAK.” and “Rebbeca.”

“SPEAK.” follows five high-schoolers in competing in national oratory championships and premiered at Sundance earlier this year. Tiexiera said, “I have a five-year-old, and I’d really made nothing that she could enjoy. When I saw these oratory competitions, I had this sense of, ‘It’s gonna be okay. We’re gonna be fine.’ They’re so passionate and inspiring.”

“SPEAK.” has shown at about 80 festivals and took nearly 75 days of shooting during the school year. “It was hard to be away from my daughter for that time. And I hope that there’s a legacy of this world that we’re fighting for, for her, in this film,” said Tiexiera. “In that process of being away, though, I gained five new families. Those kids and their families are my everything. And I really loved Nora’s pig. One of my favorite parts,” she added with a laugh.

“Rebbeca” was a surprising directorial work for Tiexiera, as it follows Becky G, a Latin music popstar during her debut Mexican regional album. The Tahoe Film Fest is the only place other than Tribeca Film Festival that “Rebbeca” will be playing, which Tiexiera thanked Live Nation for.

“Becky G is a performing powerhouse, but she’s also a complex and brilliant girl,” said Tiexiera. “Her understanding and what she’s giving to the Latinx community, and that vernacular around addiction, trauma and all those things—I didn’t think I would ever make a film about a popstar, but it made so much sense when I met her.”

The connecting thread between both films that Tiexiera said she resonated with was the sense of not belonging. “Especially when I was younger, in high school, there was that shame. You really want to fit in at that age,” she said. “I saw a picture of myself where I was wearing makeup three shades too light, with lightened hair—I just want to hug that girl. There’s an importance of representation.”

“It’s very dangerous if we don’t see ourselves. When you erase people’s history, it creates a world of instability, a world of hate, versus a world of celebration and joy. If you don’t see yourself, it creates risks to your mental health, unrealistic standards and a difficulty in loving yourself,” said Tiexiera.

She worried especially about what all that could mean for her young daughter. “Even in my own industry, I struggle with imposter syndrome. Am I enough to be representing Asians as a Filipino? Am I enough to be representing Latinos as a Mexican, as someone who didn’t get to grow up speaking Spanish?”

But filmmaking is a way for her to bring representation on the screen. Tiexiera worked primarily as an editor, which she still feels is one of the most fascinating parts. “There’s an immediacy to filmmaking—to see ourselves right away. You can cut through all the noise by seeing someone like you,” she said. “You can become immediately curious, angry, wondering or spurred to action by seeing.”

Robert Roussel, organizer of the Tahoe Film Fest, originally reached out to Tiexiera in 2022 to show her film “Subject” and has since seen and supported her work. This year, Tiexiera also partnered with the high school to bring students to see the film “Rebbeca.” It’s especially poignant, as the high school is now 40% Latino.

“Tahoe has shaped who I am in so many complicated and beautiful ways. I love it despite how much it’s changed, and it’s a sacred place that’s so ingrained in me,” said Tiexiera. “I hope that what people will see, especially the high schoolers, is how wonderfully big the world is. And how lucky you are to grow up in this scared space, but how much of the world awaits you.”

“Rebecca” will be playing at Incline Village Cinema on December 5 at 9:30 p.m. and “SPEAK.” will be playing at Incline Village Cinema on December 6 at 6:45 p.m.

You can get tickets and see the schedule for the Tahoe Film Fest at https://tahoefilmfest.com/.

Eli Ramos is a reporter for Tahoe Daily Tribune. They are part of the 2024–26 cohort of California Local News Fellows through UC Berkeley.