Immigration–both legal and illegal–is a major topic for Latinos this century, but not (very often) a central subject for drama. But David Riker, writer/director of La Ciudad, along with the producer of Maria Full of Grace, have made a small but powerful film about the painful challenge of children moving back and forth across the border in The Girl. The film–nominated for Best Narrative film at the prestigious Tribeca Film Festival—opens for a one-week run exclusively in L.A. this Friday for award qualifications, then returns for a wider release in March 2013.
The plot summary: A single mother, struggling with the loss of her son to Social Services, feels trapped in the quicksand of her south Texas life. When her path collides with a young girl from Mexico, she is pulled into a life-changing journey, forcing her to confront the cycle of her past.
Director David Riker’s and young actress Maritza Santiago
Riker tells an affecting story about the origin of the story, and his own journey towards making the film. Ultimately, he says, though The Girl is rooted in a desolate and hard reality on both sides of the border, “the inspiration for the film has never been the extreme hardship or violence that flares up at this fault line between two worlds. Rather, the story is inspired by the deeper realities and truths of the border. The tone of the film is lyrical, rather than journalistic…It is a story of people whose lives are changed by crossing the border in both directions.
“There is no doubt that over the past two decades the border has become increasingly dangerous. Thousands have died or been killed in the crossing. And it is just such a tragedy that sets in motion the story of The Girl. But the film is as much about a Texas woman’s rebirth as it is about the death of a woman from southern Mexico. The heart of the story lies in the fact that these two events are profoundly connected.”
The cast also includes Will Patton, Abbie Cornish, Maritza Santiago, Giovanna Zacarías, Raúl Castillo, Luci Christian and Austin West, and is produced by Paul S. Mezey. Here’s the little-seen trailer for the film:
You can learn more about the film and sign up for alerts on facebook at the movie’s official web site, here.
