El Humo Desde el Balcón

José, a street performer who dreams about becoming a telenovela star, is recruited by a talent manager who promises him great success, but soon realizes the job is actually dancing in a gay strip club. Away from his home and enjoying the newfound fame he has acquired with his new job in the city, José starts wondering if turning his back on his family and himself is worth it now that he's the club's biggest star, nicknamed "El Pistolero."

Set during the 30th LGBTTTIQ+ Pride March in Tijuana, this short documentary presents a queer archivist whose career as a journalist has documented key moments in the region’s queer history, alongside an activist who uses drag performance and outspoken advocacy to challenge the stigma surrounding people living with HIV. Through archival imagery and alternative spaces like Enclave Caracol, located in the city’s historic downtown, the film reflects on memory, erasure, and the urgent need to tell our own stories.