Educational Media Reviews Online

Border South attempts to tell the story of the tens of thousands of individuals that make the harrowing journey from Central America through Mexico to reach the United States. Border South requires the viewer to have some background information about migrant journeys and immigrants’ experiences trying to reach the United States before they approach this film. The film jumps from one story line to the next, intermingling scenes of unnamed young men along railroad tracks.

The focus of the film appears to be Gustavo, a man who has migrated from Nicaragua to Mexico and an anthropologist who is studying migrant travel patterns. Along the journey, Gustavo is shot by a train security guard. As a result of his injury he is given a temporary visa that allows him to stay and work in Mexico. There is no explanation of the amount of work that went into Gustavo receiving the visa nor is there an explanation as to why the visa is such a prize. The anthropologist spends most of his time in the deserts and mountains collecting discarded belongings. Occasionally, the anthropologist goes in search of individuals believed to be lost along the trail or discovers human remains and attempts to identify the bodies. Not enough time is spent on the significance of the items or the human remains he finds.

Border South is disjointed and leaves the viewer with more questions than answers. Viewers may struggle with an inability to connect with Gustavo as we know little about him or why he set out on this journey. Again, background information would help those new to the story of immigrants leaving one country for another to appreciate the film. The audience will struggle with relating to the anthropologist’s work as some items he collects and others he appears to leave behind. The human femur found in the desert seems to bare little significance, though a pair of shoes seems more important. There are a few shots of the anthropologist at home, but it does not connect back to the story or his mission.

There are many other threads throughout the film that are incomplete. Most of the individuals featured have no names or backstories, leaving you to wonder why they undertake this journey, how long they have been on the road or where they began. Lacking information viewers cannot relate to the groups of young men waiting near the railroad tracks in every other scene or the real significance of Gustavo’s journey back to Guatemala with his girlfriend, Rosi.

Border South is an ambitious project that may be improved by having the interviewer audibly pose questions to the individuals on screen, providing some explanation of the motivations of the anthropologist and migrants. A brief statement beneath each speaker would be a help, giving their names, country of origin and/or how long they have been traveling. One thing the film does well is depict the long miles people travel to reach the United States and the desolation of the desert they must cross. This film is recommended with reservations.

Awards:

Best Feature Film, Society for Visual Anthropology Film & Media Festival; Nominee, Tim Hetherington Award, Sheffield Doc/Fest; Winner, Indie Memphis Film Festival; Best Feature Film, Indie Grits Film Festival