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El Norte (18*)

Borders and Boundaries

man and woman on poster image in front of moon and dark sky

Two Guatemalan siblings escape the civil war and attempt to make the dangerous journey to the US, via Mexico, in Gregory Nava’s Oscar-nominated epic.

After a bloody massacre, Brother and sister Enrique and Rosa make the difficult decision to leave their home and head north, to start a new life in the US. Despite the dangers and hardships they face, the pair continue their journey to Tijuana, where they are forced to take terrifying risks.

El Norte was one of the first productions to focus on the challenges facing Latin American migrants hoping to cross the border in to the US. The two protagonists are depicted with great dignity and solidarity, and, tragically, this masterly film, newly restored, has never been more relevant.

USA 1984 Dir Gregory Nava 141 min

‘ It tells its story through the eyes of its heroes, and it is one of the rare films that grants Latin Americans full humanity. They are not condescended to [...] they are simply themselves.‘
‘ When I made El Norte, I showed the bad things along with good things. Forget about stereotypes; forget about everything. Just say: This is the story, and I’m going to tell the truth.‘

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