Screening of Undocumented
This documentary mentions the work of La Raza Justice Movement and many other organizations. Hector A. Chavana Jr. will be on the panel to discuss.
Type: Documentary and Panel Discussion
Date: Monday, April 12, 2010
Time: 7:00pm - 9:30pm
Location: UC Caspian Room in the University Center
City/Town: Houston, TX
DescriptionAn in-depth look into the historical mass mobilizations of 2006. The documentary that gave a behind the scenes look at the movement against anti-immigrant legislation and gave an insight into the life and struggles of the undocumented.
The documentary “undocumented,” follows the course of events in Houston that led to the mass mobilizations of April 10th and May 1st. It offers an unflinching, in-depth look into the dynamics of the immigration movement. “It’s not just a chronicle of one of the most important months in Latino-American history,” according to the director Jesse Salmeron, “The strength of the film lies in the stories and struggle of the undocumented immigrants themselves.” Jesse Salmeron gives us a glimpse of a talented, hard-working undocumented student coming to terms with the fact that her dreams may not, regardless of her effort, ever be realized, among other stories. The documentary is fast-paced, and balances poignancy and humor brilliantly into a film that engages, informs and entertains.
The director, Jesse Salmeron, came to the United States undocumented at the age of three as a refugee during the Salvadorian civil war. He earned his B.A. at the University of Houston in English/Creative Writing and a minor in Theatre and studied Film extensively. It is this training and education that prepared him to produce “undocumented” completely on his own. “During the height of the movement—activity wise—I may have filmed a rally in the morning, attended a coalition meeting in the afternoon and conducted an interview or two afterwards. I’d get home late at night and log the tapes to my computer then I’d try to sleep for three or four hours before starting over again. I’d never been so exhausted in my life,” says Jesse Salmeron, “but I’d never felt more content with my life and career, knowing I was not only doing exactly what I wanted to do in life, but I was doing something for my community.”