Ní Aquí, Ní Allá (Neither Here, Nor There)

Filmmaker Gabriela Bortolamedi's documentary focuses on a family of undocumented immigrants in the San Joaquin Valley, with voiceover narration provided by the oldest daughter and her unnamed parents. Twenty-year-old Blanca, who speaks primarily in English, says that she was six when the family moved from Mexico in 2000. Her father had high hopes regarding their financial fortunes, but he and his wife are manual laborers, and money is in short supply (she also has a younger sister). Since her father works in lawn maintenance, he has to pay for the seeds that he uses to plant grass, but this can be difficult as clients don't always reimburse him in a timely manner. Both parents have been encouraging Blanca's ambitions to become a doctor. Because they don't speak English, she helps them communicate with clients through regular cell phone exchanges. With their help, she's able to live in Berkeley while attending college, but the downside is that sometimes her parents barely have enough money left over for groceries. When things get tight, Blanca says, they alternate between a week of rice and a week of beans. She visits them as often as she can, but worries because authorities could deport them at any time. Blanca's parents expect her to support them when she's older, but instead of considering this expectation a burden, Blanca plans to buy them a house someday. A timely portrait of a hard-working undocumented family trying to attain the American Dream, this is recommended. Aud: C, P. (K. Fennessy)