This timely program is a compilation of short films dealing with the 'current undocumented immigration crisis.' The first selection tells of a mother who emigrated from Colombia to the U.S. in 1979 following a devastating hurricane. The woman’s 12-year-old son attempted to come to the U.S. the next year but was apprehended by the border patrol in Miami; eventually, mother and son were reunited. The son, who is now 50 years old, tells of his traumatic experiences and his mother, in subtitled remarks, fills in details, talking about her son’s anxiousness and subsequent nightmares following his release from detention.
The next title, The Suitcase, begins by telling viewers that when the U.S. deports people, they are allowed one suitcase, and on-the-street interviews ask persons what they would take if they were in this situation. Some find it a difficult question to answer while others state such items as a blanket and camera. The next title begins with captioned headings telling us that in 2014 the U.S. State Department began funding Mexico’s deportation efforts with the purpose of slowing down migration to the U.S. so Mexico began returning immigrants to homelands in Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador. Various families sent back to their native countries talk about rampant gang activity, death threats, and other dangerous conditions that forced them to leave. And despite being deported back home, most express a desire to make another attempt.
In the following title, a visual artist engages in a peaceful protest on the U.S border between California and Mexico, enlisting others to help her paint the border fence a lovely shade of blue to match the ocean and sky. Footage shows the fence painting and scenes of persons trying to communicate with one another between the imposing fence. In the final title, What Happens to a Dream Deferred, two men who came to the U.S. with their parents 18 years ago and have since attained post-graduate degrees, live in fear in the current political climate in which DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) policies may be rescinded. The men and their spouses express feelings of anxiety and stress as they worry about their futures and possible shattered dreams. Offering insights into the effects of family separations and the threat of deportations, this works best as a discussion prompter in classrooms and other settings. Recommended. Aud: H, C, P.