Apocalyptic Cinema: Migration and Borders La Jaula de Oro (2013, OmU - English subtitles)

Beyond political debates and financial costs, what does “the apocalypse” mean for those actually fleeing it? The film series Migration and Borders shifts the focus from systems to individual fates, exploring the personal realities of poverty, terror, and displacement.

Movie description

The teenagers Samuel, Sara, Juan and Chauk decide to escape poverty in Guatemala and set off together for the United States. But they are caught by the police in Mexico and taken back to Guatemala under threat of violence. Instead of giving up on their plan, they try again; although they are not arrested by the border police, they fall into the hands of drug dealers and into the crosshairs of migrant hunters. 

This Mexican film tackles the harsh reality faced by migrants who, lured by the promise of the American Dream, embark on life-threatening journeys. The film was nominated for 14 categories at the Mexican film awards, the Premio Ariel, and won nine of them, including Best Film and Best Actor.

After the movie there will be a discussion with Dr. Yaatsil Guevara González (Heidelberg University). Institutional profile page