INDOCUMENTALES/UNDOCUMENTARIES

Listen to the Audio archive of Americas Society screening of Elvira

On December 20, 2011 Americas Society hosted the New York premiere and screening of ELVIRA (Javier Solórzano Casarín2009). The Mexican documentary film ELVIRA tells the story of Elvira Arellano, an undocumented mother that became an well known activist for migrants rights. A panel discussion was moderated by Shamina de Gonzaga, co-founder of what moves you? The panel included the Mexican filmmaker as well as the Executive Director of Families for Freedom (who were involved in the support of Elvira Arellano’s case).  The discussion opened a dialogue about the role of migrant activism and the role of cinema in activism, both particularly relevant topics given the Occupy Wall Street movement in NYC and around the world.

On December 14th, NYU CLACS Outreach Program hosted a screening and discussion with area educators on the film Which Way Home. This was the second event in December for area educators.

The discussion, facilitated by Shamina de Gonzaga and Gala Narezo of what moves you?, opened a dialogue focusing on how teachers might use the film to teach on topics of migration, the challenges that children face on journeys between countries, and connections between the lives of the kids in their classroom with those of the kids shown in the film.

Many teachers commented on particular video clips that might be useful for their classroom. The group also speculated on the fate of the children in the film, a discussion that may be particularly relevant to open in classrooms. Following the release of the film, the NY Times followed up on one of the kids in the film who gained asylum in the US.

The Indocumentales program Resources page includes links to a UW-Madison website featuring commentary and resources on Which Way Home.

On December 5th, NYU CLACS Outreach Program hosted a screening and discussion with area educators on the film Farmingville. The aim of the event was to build ongoing education programming for the Indocumentales project, provide a space for networking among educators interested in teaching topics related to immigration, and disseminate resources that might be useful for teaching these themes in NYC classrooms.

The film was followed by comments by Professor Judy Hellman, CLACS Visiting Professor and Professor of Anthropology at York University in Canada. She is the author of author of The World of Mexican Migrants and Mexican Lives. Hellman made connections between  economic and political change in Mexico he growth of undocumented migration to the United States, which affected communities such as Farmingville, NY.

The discussion, facilitated by Shamina de Gonzaga and Gala Narezo of what moves you?, then opened up to explore ways this film might be taught in classrooms. Teachers offered feedback on clips that are particularly relevant, challenges they may face in teaching these controversial topics, and opportunities to make linkages to existing curriculum.

The Indocumentales program Resources page includes links to PBS teaching materials for Farmingville. The PBS site also has a video interview with the films directors, Carlos Sandoval and Catherine Tambini. The POV materials also gave rise to the Farmingville Campaign, a project of Active Voice which aims to help communities begin or deepen discussions about immigration, racism, national identity and the democratic process.

Indocumentales Film Series includes MI VIDA DENTRO, a documentary about Rosa Estela Olera Jiménez, an undocumented immigrant from Mexico who is convicted of killing a 21 month year old boy under her care.  This past December Judge Baird ruled that Rosa be granted a new trial.  According to an Austin Chronicle article:

[Rosa's new lawyer] Bryce Benjet argued several claims in his writ – including that Jimenez should be declared innocent, that prosecutorial misconduct marred the original trial, and that Jimenez was denied due process because she was not given access to funds to hire her own experts to testify at her 2005 trial, where she had ineffective legal representation.

Baird disagreed that Jimenez should be granted relief based on actual innocence or on prosecutorial misconduct claims but agreed she should be given relief based on her due process and ineffective assistance claims. … Baird’s ruling now goes to the Court of Criminal Appeals, which will decide whether to affirm his ruling and grant Jimenez relief.

As of the date of this post, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals has not yet made a decision.