The short documentary about the Venezuelan community and the work of Venezuelans and Immigrants Aid (VIA) in New York receives bronze in General Documentary and silver in Original Music.

By Jesse Rylander

Venezuelans and Immigrants Aid (VIA) celebrates the recognition of “In Borrowed Time” (En Tiempo Prestado), a documentary directed and produced by Martín Blanco (Catatumbo Studio) that tells the story of the organization and two of its most emblematic protagonists. The film has been honored with two 2026 Telly Awards: bronze in the General Documentary category and silver in Original Music.

The documentary follows Niurka Meléndez and Héctor Arguinzones, two members of the Venezuelan community who, while navigating their own asylum process, found in VIA not only support, but also the possibility of opening doors for others. Their story is also the story of what VIA represents: a space where migration is told not only through loss, but through community, dignity, and the capacity to rebuild a home.

The vision behind the project
Martín Blanco, the documentary’s director, explained the origin of the project: “I wanted to make a film that responded to that narrative from a different place: one of dignity, complexity, and empathy. Receiving these awards is a confirmation that these stories matter — that stories of forced migration deserve to be told not only through loss, but also through possibility, community, and the human capacity to imagine a future even when the system seems to deny it.”

The voices of the protagonists
Niurka Meléndez and Héctor Arguinzones, co-directors and co-founders of VIA, expressed their joy at the recognition: “We are thrilled by this news, one more reason to celebrate VIA’s 10 years in a big way, perfectly captured in ‘In Borrowed Time.’ We extend our warmest congratulations to Martín and his entire team, who have demonstrated with this award the quality of their work. Thank you, Martín, once again, for choosing VIA to make ‘In Borrowed Time.'”