Silo Mercado isn’t just an Indianapolis seamstress. She’s someone who has spent nearly 25 years stitching her community together, one wedding dress or table runner at a time. Her hundreds of clients are more like family — they know that no matter the hour, they can call Mercado to mend their most precious items.
When she was 16, working in a factory in Mexico City, Mercado never could have imagined being the subject of a short documentary film. But thanks to a new program, her inspiring story, which was first told in Mirror Indy, and four other uplifting tales of fellow Hoosiers, will be coming soon to a screen near you.
Related
In a strip mall on 38th Street, a seamstress finds her perfect fit
When firefighters or fly guys need something tailored they go to 65-year-old ‘Silo,’ who grew up sewing in Mexico City.
Hoodox, Indiana Humanities, Heartland Film and Free Press Indiana are rolling out the red carpet for LIFT, a grant and mentorship initiative that has awarded $5,000 grants to five filmmakers to help them create short documentaries.
Each film will focus on Hoosiers who strengthen and connect their community through small, everyday actions, from supporting aspiring local musicians to running a beloved small bookstore.
Nearly 100 filmmakers across Indiana applied for the grants. Their applications were reviewed by nine community members involved in media, film and the arts.
“The filmmakers we selected represent Indiana’s vast geographic and cultural variety,” said
Megan Telligman, director of programs at Indiana Humanities. “It was a joy to see so many
applications focused on civic pride and community connection.”
The filmmakers have two months to complete their films, which will premiere at Heartland Film’s Indy Shorts Film Festival in July. Leading up to their debut, we’ll share the stories of these filmmakers in our weekly arts and culture newsletter, Play List.
Here’s a teaser trailer for the directors and their films:
Jessica Dunn
Title: “Far Out Frequencies”
Location: Indianapolis
Story: As massive corporate-owned venues take over the world of live music, Dunn’s film will explore the past, present and future of State Street Pub, a small independent music venue that has remained a treasured haven for artists from Indy and beyond.
Makenna Mays
Title: “The B&B on East 8th Street”
Location: Brookville
Story: Mays’ short will spotlight a 90-year-old innkeeper who cooks meals and shares stories of the past with guests at their historic bed and breakfast.
Sam Mirpoorian
Title: “SILO”
Location: Indianapolis
Story: Mirpoorian will explore the impact of beloved neighborhood seamstress Silo Mercado, whose wisdom and skill knit not only her clients’ garments but her community together.
Ahmed Tahsin Shams
Title: “The Water Readers”
Location: Bloomington
Story: Learn about the overlooked art of water ecology — how tiny aquatic creatures interact with their environment and impact water health for those who drink it — in Shams’ short.
Samuel Villagra-Stanton
Title: “The Brain Lair”
Location: South Bend
Story: Stanton’s doc will focus on the owner of Brain Lair Books, who has spent decades building up her community through sharing stories.
Learn more about the inaugural LIFT grant program.
Mirror Indy, a nonprofit newsroom, is funded through grants and donations from individuals, foundations and organizations.
Shea Stapley is a Mirror Indy freelance contributor. You can reach her at sheajuliestapley@gmail.com.
Republish our articles for free, online or in print, under a Creative Commons license.
