The Time of Fireflies 2022
Distributed by The Video Project, 145 - 9th St., Suite 230, San Francisco, CA 94103; 800-475-2638
Produced by Mattis Appelqvist Dalton and Matteo Robert Morales
Directed by Mattis Appelqvist Dalton and Matteo Robert Morales
Streaming, 52 mins
High School - General Adult
Family relations; Immigration
Date Entered: 04/20/2023
Reviewed by Tashia Miller, Outreach and Engagement Librarian, University of MichiganThis documentary focuses on the lives of a family and how the decision to leave your country for migrant work can drastically change the dynamics of a family. Miguel is the central figure of this film, and it follows his experiences being the child of parents who leave Mexico in order to work in the US. His personal accounts of how his relationship with his parents changed during his childhood and through adulthood serves as the central theme of this film and keeps it grounded in honest and relatable storytelling. This film is not an examination of immigration policies or the politics of documented and undocumented migrant workers and only briefly mentions the costs and risks associated for those who cross the border.
There is a humanity in the story of Miguel who goes from a child left to be raised by his grandparents to a teenager crossing the border to pursue education and opportunity only to have those dreams deferred in order to take care of his family back home. This is a film that has broad appeal to various classes and discussions around topics such as immigration and economic opportunities as a way to understand the people these decisions and stories belong to.
Awards:New Orleans Film Festival; Docs Without Borders Film Festival, Excellence; SF International Film Festival, Jury Award Winner, Best Documentary Feature; LACA Film Festival, Best Documentary Cinematography
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