Films on Migration

Oct 18, 2009

9500 liberty

Beyond Borders

Voces Inocentes--Luis Mandoki, director of "Voces Inocentes", recently came out with a futuristic film titled "Traficante de Suenos" / "Sleep Dealer", which is supposed to be interesting. It features an Orwellian future with a "virtual bracero" program that people plug into...

Crossing Arizona

Romantico--There is an indie film called, "Romantico" which is the story of an immigrant from Michoacan living in San Francisco, California at the Mission district. It is an amazing story.

This story that I'm talking about, is a story of a guy that works at a car wash during the day, and as a troubador at night at the fast food restaurants to support his family in Michoacan. It is a really good movie/documentary to watch.

Bajo la Misma Luna--Another mainstream fictional film with Kate del Castillo.

Funny thing about it is (well, funny in a real depressing sort of way), Kate is one of them main beneficiaries of companies like Televisa, which make conditions so much worse for working people in Mexico, provoking migration. Anyway, the film is sympathetic toward migrants, for whatever that's worth.

Motel Paraiso

Goal

"With love, from Mexico" (which will be at theatres this Friday)

"A Million to Juan"by Paul Rodriguez' film

Sin Nombre-- According to the blurb: "Fleeing retaliation from the violent Central American street gang he has deserted, young hood Casper boards a northbound train, where he takes refuge on top of the moving freight cars and hopes for a fresh start in a new country. Dodging authorities and other dangers, he finds a new friend in Sayra, a Honduran girl. Cary Fukunaga directs."

Sleep Dealer --When Sundance lead programer Geoffrey Gilmore introduced Sleep Dealer, he claimed that it would be hard to describe the film without saying that “it’s unlike anything you’ve seen before.” And while his claim is very true, Sleep Dealer very much reminds me of George Lucus’ THX 1138. I am convinced that if Alex Rivera can do all this on such a low budget with a super 16 camera, that he will someday follow-up with a Star Wars sized epic. Rivera tells a story set in the backdrop of the near future to explore rising issues of today such as governments controlling oil and international border control.

Documentaries by Juan Carlos Frey. His website is www.gatekeeperfilm.com.

De Nadie. covers the train ride from Mexico's southern border north but from a documentary point of view, unlike Sin Nombre which is great drama. De Nadie (English title: No One) is a documentary by Mexican filmmaker Tin Dirdamal on the impoverished Central Americans who leave their countries in hope of a better life in the United States. It premiered in 2005 and was shown at different international film festivals, winning the Sundance Film Festival audience award for World Documentary in 2006. The film follows a number of refugees who have to cross Mexico, about 4,000 kilometers, before reaching the US border. On their way through Mexico they put their remaining money, dignity, health and life on the line. You Tube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7sLD9b5B4_c&feature=related