Monica Sorelle’s "Mountains" transcends a straightforward depiction of gentrification, offering something far deeper than just urban change. Among the various meanings within this complex film is an examination of how disappointment can wear away at people’s sense of self. The story unfolds in Miami's Little Haiti and centers on Xavier, a demolition worker whose job—tearing down homes in his own neighborhood to ma…

The vanishing of a close-knit community—and the traditions that go with it—can bring about a strong feeling among its members, particularly those whose families came from another country, that they are fading away. However, residents also find themselves grappling with difficult questions: Are they contributing to this decline, or suffering because of it? And regardless of their role, how do they cope with the result…