On The Line (2020)
Every year, over 100,000 Mexicans are deported by the US administration. Many however, have grown up or built their lives in the United States.
On The Line (2020)
Directed by Alex Gohari and Leo Mattei, 68 mins
Every year, over 100,000 Mexicans living in the USA are deported to Mexico. Many of them have grown up and spent decades in America, working, paying taxes, starting families. Some can’t even speak Spanish.
In a matter of days. they find themselves torn away from their children and loved ones and escorted across the border - unable to return home and unable to appeal their deportation.
The border town of Tijuana has become an airlock between two worlds, where the broken lives of migrants end up. For many of these deportees, the only work available is in relocated American call centres. They spend their days answering calls from American consumers, pretending to be working from America, and their evenings looking at the lights from across the border, trying to maintain some sort of contact with their families left behind.
Rocio, Richard and Sergio are just three of those affected. We follow them for nearly a year as they struggle to make sense of the situation they are now in and rebuild their lives.
Discussion
The panel discussion after the screening was moderated by journalist Alex O'Brien, in conversation with co-directors Alex Gohari and Leo Mattei.
Highlights from the discussion are below.
Global Health Film members can access the full 40-minute discussion and our On The Line resource pack of additional reading in the members' area of the website.
