Set in the border city of El Paso, Texas - this energetic documentary follows an all-girl team of high school students connected by their passion for the unheralded, all-American sport of Color Guard, as they compete in the wake of tragedy, navigate the universal trials and tribulations of adolescence and come of age in an era unlike anything America has experienced before.
ABOUT
On Guard is a coming of age story as told through the eyes of four teenage women of color growing up in an era unlike any other.
Set in the border city of El Paso, TX - a region thrust into the forefront of political issues plaguing the nation - the film takes viewers into the hierarchical hallways of Bel Air High School, where a determined, all-female team of Color Guard performers aim to take their team to the WGI World Championships.
Bel Air High School is located just three miles from the border wall separating the US and Juarez, MX. The student population there is 97.7% Hispanic, and 76% of students come from households living in hyper-poverty (less than $16k/year). Yet for our teenage protagonists, a preoccupation with the latest gossip and finding the perfect prom dress heavily outweighs the importance of politics.
As they prepare for the WGI World Championships, a devastating mass shooting strikes their hometown. In response, the team creates a tribute performance, transforming their sport into an expression of collective grief, pride, and resistance.
Over four years of filming, ON GUARD evolves from a spirited underdog sports story into an intimate, coming-of-age portrait of young women faced with forces far beyond the gymnasium. The film explores the profound irony of twirling wooden rifles in a community reeling from real gun violence, revealing the strength, vulnerability, and complexity of a generation coming of age in America today.
THE FILMMAKERS
Allen Otto
Director
Allen is a queer director, producer and born-and-raised in San Antonio, Texas. He obtained his BA in Radio-Television-Film from the University of Texas at Austin, and his thesis, Psycho Billy, was nominated for the ASC Student Heritage Award. Over the years, Allen has built a consistent track record in creating critically acclaimed and award-winning long-form documentaries. His work as co-creator and producer of the LGBTQ+ documentary series, Gaycation with Elliot Page, received two Emmy nominations, two GLAAD Media Award nominations, and won an Imagen Award for Latino Representation. Additionally, he co-created and produced the series VICE Does America, a seven-episode half-hour TV show that follows three journalists as they zig-zag across America in an RV during the 2015 Presidential Primaries. Before that, Allen was an associate producer across the first three seasons of VICE (HBO), where segments he helped produce were recognized with two Emmy Awards and an additional two Emmy nominations.
EMILY WILSON
EDITOR
Emily Wilson is a filmmaker from Syracuse, NY and an alumna of the SUNY Purchase Film Conservatory. Her latest short film, Danny’s Girl, premiered at Sundance 2020, is an official selection of SXSW, and a Vimeo Staff Pick. Previously Emily co-wrote, directed and edited the comedy pilot, I Adore Dolores, which is an alumna of the 2018 IFP Screen Forward labs, premiered at Seriesfest, won “Most Outrageous” at Orlando Film Festival, and was chosen as one of NoBudge's top films of 2020. A long time editor, Emily has cut for several media platforms including National Geographic, Vice, A&E, YouTube Originals, Bustle, Condé Nast, Cosmopolitan, Bleacher Report, Vice Films, and The Ford Foundation. Some notable editing projects include Snoop Dogg's feature music documentary, Reincarnated, and Fishing Without Nets - winner of the U.S. Dramatic Directing Award at Sundance. Emily is currently a freelance filmmaker living in Los Angeles.
JIM CZARNECKI
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER
Jim Czarnecki’s work can be seen on Netflix, Amazon, A&E, Viceland, iTunes, Hulu, and various other platforms, and in theaters. He is most well known as the Producer of Michael Moore’s FAHRENHEIT 9-11, and the Academy Award winning BOWLING FOR COLUMBINE. Jim served as an Executive Producer and Head of Production at Vice Studios for 6 years. Jim was also an Executive Producer on Chris Smith’s feature documentary JIM & ANDY about Jim Carrey’s portrayal of the late Andy Kauffman that premiered at the Venice and Toronto Film Festivals and is currently on Netflix. For Viceland, Jim put together the show GAYCATION starring Elliot Page which was nominated for various Emmy Awards.
CHRISTOPHER GILL
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY
Christopher Gill is a New York based Director of Photography with an extensive background in vérité documentaries and premium non-fiction television. His work has been nominated for multiple Emmy Awards and his frequent clients include Apple TV+, A24, Higher Ground, Disney +, HBO, Netflix, CNN, National Geographic, and Amazon among others. For over a decade, Chris has built a portfolio of rich images and stories spanning continents and genres. He has a reputation for bringing professionalism and creativity to filming in some of the world’s most challenging environments as well as lighting and producing high-end visuals. Chris has filmed documentaries in over 40 countries including Iraq, Afghanistan, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Chad, India, the Philippines, Korea, El Salvador, Peru, and China. Chris has been nominated for Emmy’s in cinematography three times, for his work on the Apple TV+ series “HOME” as well as the Netflix children’s documentary series “Waffles + Mochi.” He was also the DP of the Emmy-nominated Tour de France series “Eat, Race, Win” for Amazon, the critically acclaimed New York Times/Netflix partnership “Diagnosis” and the Netflix science documentary series “Connected.” He is an IATSE Local 600 DP and a FAA Part 107 certified drone operator.