Purgatorio: A Journey Into the Heart of the Border 2013
Distributed by Passion River Films, 154 Mt. Bethel Rd., Warren, NJ 07059; 732-321-0711
Produced by Inti Cordera, Hugo Perez, and Rodrigo Reyes
Directed by Rodrigo Reyes
DVD , color, 80 min., English and Spanish subtitles
General Adult
Immigration, Political Science
Date Entered: 11/22/2016
Reviewed by James Gordon, University at Buffalo LibrariesPurgatorio is a threaded series of related vignettes focusing on life in the proximity of the US-Mexican border. Despair and hunger have driven some to attempt to cross the border without going through US customs. On the Mexican side, we have a story from a junk yard, a pair of men attempting to cross, a shocking story from a dog warden, among others. On the American side, there’s a story about a person trying to assist those who make it over and another story of a man who does what he can to discourage immigrants.
While no attempt at a comprehensive analysis of the complications and impact of territorial walls is undertaken, anyone interested in the current debate regarding US-Mexico border policy will be rewarded with insights.