De nadie. (No One’s)

Reviewed by Rafael Ocasio, Agnes Scott Coll., Decatur, GA -- Críticas, 5/15/2008

(Mexico/U.S., 2006) color. Spanish (English subtitles).84 mins. Laguna Productions. DVD. 2007. $24.95. DOCUMENTARY

Interviewed in Mexico, immigrants from various Central American countries talk about their reasons for leaving home to undertake the dangerous trip to the United States. These men and women of various ages have chosen to travel through Mexico by train, thus avoiding paying fees to coyotes. In doing so, they face numerous dangers, including encounters with gangs known as maras—organized groups of teenagers and young men who assault, rob, rape, and often kill their victims—and the abuses of Mexican police officers and railroad company employees, who often steal from the stowaways. This well-done documentary offers their testimonies and captures the intensity of their stories. One outstanding sad story is that of María, a Honduran mother of four who was forced to go north because of the delicate economy that followed Hurricane Mitch. In a dramatic scene, the film crew visits María’s family in Honduras, where the children are still crying because their mother is absent. Highly recommended for collections on immigration to the United States. [For more on this topic, see Immigration 101]