Saturday, May 13, 10:30 AM, Charles Theatre 2

Director: Joseph Mathew and Dan DeVivo

Cast: Mike Wilson, Byrd Baylor, Chris Simcox, Manuela Martinez, Alexis Mazon, Isabel Garcia, Robin Hoover

Country: USA
Year: 2005
Running Time: 97:00 minutes
Format: Beta SP

No matter how you feel about the current hot button issue of illegal Mexican immigration, everyone has a sense that public policy hasn’t been rational or helpful. This film proves it.

By focusing on one small part of our border with Mexico, the filmmakers illuminate the issues of border security crossed with economic reality. From the Mexican side of the border you explore the organizational infrastructure that has emerged to help people get to America for higher paying jobs. From the American side, you meet a variety of people- self-appointed freelance border patrols called Minutemen, frustrated government border patrols, angry ranchers, and various groups who are concerned about the safety of the immigrants as the try to cross as much as 50 miles of sweltering terrain. You won’t come away with any easy answers, but this clear and careful film shines rare light on a subject that normally just generates intense heat.

--Jed Dietz

Presented By: Joseph Mathew

Joseph Mathew emigrated to the United States from India in 1994, freelanced as a photojournalist for the AP in Baltimore, and teamed up with writer Charles Cohen to make his first film, The Last Season: The Life and Demolition of Baltimore’s Memorial Stadium, which screened to raucous crowds at MFF 2002. It is available for purchase at various retail venues around Baltimore.