Educational Media Reviews Online

In a short running time, this film looks at the Puerto Rican economic crisis, which began in 2008 and is still ongoing. Beginning with footage of a student strike, it quickly introduces the viewer to four young people who went to the university and are now out in the workplace and having difficulty in finding fulltime jobs.

Street scenes mix in with scenes showing the subjects going to work, going to auditions, selling jewelry, working out, protesting megastores, and doing local political work. The “you-are-there” feel elevates the film beyond purely informational. The young people explain their precarious employment situations, with no benefits, no union, and no set schedule or hours, and reflect on the future and how difficult it is for young Puerto Ricans to plan on having a family or being able to follow the career for which they trained.

Speaking in Spanish, with English subtitles, the three men and one woman make their points and explain in a personal way what viewers may have read in news sources. A sociology professor provides even more information, arguing that investment in Puerto Rico that stays on the island is needed as foreign corporations take the money away, and that the hope for the future is in the younger generation. In fact, the film ends on a message of hope: a last scene features a protest outside the capitol with large groups of young people.

Visuals and sound are both well-done. Viewers who are willing to dig in and find even more information on the economy in Puerto Rico, especially since the storms of 2016, will find this film a good background piece. Although the film focuses on one country at one particular time, it would make an ideal discussion vehicle for classes or interested groups who want to delve into the issues that are universal: underemployment, corporate wealth, and college students’ future. Therefore it is recommended for college classes in sociology, economics, and any class where labor is studied. Both academic libraries and public libraries should consider purchasing this video.

Awards

• Best National Short Film, Festival Internacional de Cine Fine Arts 2016