Pascui Rivas is an award-winning film and commercial Director, Producer and Editor, and is a member of the Directors Guild of America (DGA) and #FreeTheWork. He has been shaping the U.S. Hispanic landscape directing and editing over 200 national broadcast commercials, award-winning documentaries and music videos, working with Latin artists like Natalia Lafourcade, Estados Alterados, Goyo/ChocQuibtown, Soledad Pastorutti and Wisin. Pascui helped create the Soccer documentary series Phenoms, and Directed the global feature documentary Ordinary Gods, spoken in 9 languages and shot in 8 countries — both projects for Disney/Fox. His work has been recognized in Tribeca, Santa Barbara (SBIFF), Mar del Plata, Shanghai International Film Festivals, among others, as well as in most Latino Film festivals in the US (LAILFF, NYILFF/HBO). Most Recently, Pascui’s documentary Normal Sucks, based on the book by neurodiverse author Jonathan Mooney, was showcased at the UCLA Friends of Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior.

Jonathan Mooney – Co-Writer / Self: I’m a dyslexic writer, speaker, and do-gooder who did not learn to read until 12 years old. I faced a number of low expectations growing up—was told I would flip burgers, be a high school drop out and end up in jail. Needless to say, their hopeful prophecies didn’t come to pass. Opposed to being a high school drop out, I became a college graduate from Brown University with an honors degree in English lit; instead of flipping burgers I ended up writing books, the first of which I wrote at the end of the 23 as an undergrad; and instead of becoming an inmate I become an advocate creating organizations and initiatives that help people who get the short end of the stick. I’ve won many awards for all of this —The Harry S. Truman fellowship for public services, Finalist for a Rhodes Scholarship, LA Achievement award from The Lab school of Washington where I shared the stage with Vice President Joe Biden—and been featured in/on HBO, NPR, The New York Times, NBC, Fast Company, and many other media outlets. What I’m most proud of is not that I proved some people how doubted me wrong—but that I proved the many people—my mom, a teacher named Mr. R, my wife Rebecca—right, not just about my potential but about the potential for all of us who live and learn differently.

“Having grown up in with a persistent level of unpredictability, I have always been interested in stories where familial and social support plays a crucial role in someone’s triumph in life. As author Jonathan Mooney says, “who someone becomes is not up to them, it is up to all of us.” I decided to make this film because my friend Jonathan Mooney was about to release his book Normal Sucks and said in passing that he wanted “to make some video about it.” I asked to read it and after finishing it I was moved to tears. I called him up and said we had to make a short documentary about his story growing up with dyslexia and his experiences learning to live way above his circumstances.”

My friend and author, Jonathan Mooney, had just finished writing the book, “Normal Sucks.” I remembered texting him right away after reading it because the book had moved me to tears, and saying “at the very least, I think your story should be a documentary.” What I hope people take away from this film is inspiration, encouragement, and knowing that despite how hard life can be for many of us, there’s always a path forward.

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