ANA APFELBACHER

          Grab some popcorn, and prepare to go on an emotional rollercoaster because Rebecca Cammisa’s award-winning documentary Which Way Home leaves you gripping the edge of your seat, and completely jaw dropped. Produced by Mr. Mudd, Cammisa’s second film premiered at the 2009 Tribeca Film Festival on January 31, 2009, and was broadcasted on HBO. It was nominated for a 2010 Independent Spirit Award, received four EMMY nominations, won the 2010 News & Documentary Emmy Award for Outstanding Informational Programming, and received a 2010 Imagen Award for Best Documentary on Television. Her other film, Sister Helen, also won many awards such as the 2002 Sundance Film Festival’s Documentary Directing Award.

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          For many years now, children from Central American countries—including: Guatemala, Mexico, and Honduras—have been migrating to the United States in search of a better life. This, for many, is the solution to the deep-rooted problem of poverty, abuse, or child neglect back in their native countries. A New York Times article perfectly summarized Rebecca’s purpose, “Ms. Cammisa turned her attention to migrants who are more rarely seen: children traveling without parents. More than 90,000 unaccompanied minors were apprehended by authorities at the Southwestern border in 2007, according to the most recent official figures” (Preston). Rebecca, in choosing to embark on this prolonged dangerous journey, captures the hardships endured by a few of these young unaccompanied children on a freight train called “La Bestia (The Beast)”.

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          As the camera starts rolling we are plunged into a scene of a dead man floating down the river dividing Mexico and the U.S. There is an immediate division established between the Mexico border and the U.S. border in doing so. The camera then turns its focus from the frontier to some officials on the Mexican border who state that this isn't a rare occurrence. With this, begins the series of factual information introducing the documentary’s main focus, the first fact being that “among the thousands that ride the trains, roughly 5% are children traveling alone” (Cammisa). In the background, we witness a clip of two boys running to try and grab onto the handle of a ladder on one of the freight train cars. A great insight into what was to come later on. In order for any child to begin this journey they first have to cross the Guatemala-Mexico border using the little money they have to pay-off someone to get them across. Once crossing, it’s a waiting process in hopes that the train going in the direction of their destination approaches quickly. 

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          The first essential character is then introduced to us. Kevin, a 14-year-old boy from Honduras, is awaiting the train with his close friend—another essential character—Fito, a 13-year-old boy from Honduras as well. The main focus is on Kevin, “What I’ve always dreamed of was to be in the United States. Most of the children in Honduras they grow up with that idea, ‘I’m going to the United States.’” (Cammisa). Allowing the viewers to realize that these children have hopes of living out the American dream which by definition states that “anyone, regardless of where they were born or what class they were born, can attain their own version of success in a society where upward mobility is possible for everyone” (Barone). Kevin then opens up to give the viewers a bit of insight as to the reason behind his choice to journey, he says, “The truth is my mother is really poor. The money she makes is barely enough to feed us. In my life, I would like to help her and be able to buy her a house” (Cammisa). Reinforcing the core issue of poverty in Central American countries, he explains that all he wants in life is to give his mother a better, more comfortable life. When speaking in regards to his stepfather Kevin says, “It’s just that I have a stepfather who said that I was not his son...it’s true but he didn’t want me” (Cammisa). But, Kevin isn’t the only one having problems back at home and in search of a better life. Tito, his best friend, mentions that he hadn’t told his mother about him leaving because she had already left to go partying with her husband. Notice, Tito didn’t call him his father, rather, he said her husband because he didn’t see any relationship between him and his mother’s new husband. When asked about Tito’s father, he said, “He’s dead” (Cammisa). Tito’s father had died years prior, and his mother wasn’t the best influence so, in reality, he was alone and having to provide for himself. This is another issue that is presented to the viewers in the film; the lack of parenting and good influences for some of these children.

 

          As the film progresses we are met with other challenges one of which introduces us to a new character, Juan Carlos. When talking about why he wants to migrate to the United States he says, “I was five years old when my father left for the United States. He said goodbye to my mother and me and that he was going there to help us. It’s been nine years since I’ve seen him” (Cammisa). Juan Carlos, like many children, haven’t seen their parents (both, or one or the other) for years. Most of these parents leave their families behind to migrate to the U.S. in search of jobs to be able to send money back to their families. Others, simply leave their families behind. Juan Carlos goes on to say, “I feel I have a duty to take care of and help my siblings” (Cammisa). Despite his young age, he feels that he has to take on his father’s role of providing for, and caring for his mom and his siblings since his father has lacked to fulfill that role for so many years already. His nine-year-old brother was smuggled into California one month earlier and barely made it. His aunt said that if he wouldn’t have made it she would’ve gone to look for him because “dead or alive, one finds them” (Cammisa). In this interview session between Juan Carlos’ aunt and his brother we hear a new enlightening perspective from his aunt. She says that the journey of leaving your family behind to come to the United States isn’t worth it because “You lose the love of your family” (Cammisa). This is something most don’t realize or care to think about because they’re focus is on other things such as finding a better job or providing for their family or simply searching for a better life.

 

          Another issue that was integrated into the film which is prevalent in many countries, not just Central American countries, is that of drug addiction and homelessness. Viewers witness another essential character in the film being introduced which has to combat both of these issues in his everyday life. Yurico, whose nickname is “dog”, is a 17-year-old boy migrating to the United States from Tapachula, Chiapas. He says, “I have lived 15 years in the streets. I was a drug addict. I started thinking if my life is going to be like this I better look for another life, so I can free myself from this” (Cammisa). Despite him saying that he “was” a drug addict later on in the film (towards the end) it is mentioned that Yuriko is still homeless and has fallen back into drugs and is trying to fight his drug addiction. An issue mentioned previously is connected back to Yuriko, “I never had the love of a father, the love of a mother. I’d like to have a family where I can get the love I never had” (Cammisa). Just like many other children, Yuriko has not received parental support and guidance, as well as love and nurturing that a child should have and deserves. Aside from not receiving these things, there are many parents who have given such support, and love to their children and have had to face the news that their child has been found dead in the desert in their willing choice to journey to the U.S. and have to mourn the loss of their child knowing that “there will not be any viewing”, and they never got to say a proper goodbye to their son(s) or daughter(s).

 

          Throughout the entire film, scene after scene we witness issue after issue these young children, these teenagers, have to combat and overcome. We are opened up to the many reasons why these young individuals choose to migrate to the United States. We see the good and the bad, the struggles and the victories, the love and the hatred. As mentioned in a New York Times article, Mr. Malkovich who helped persuade the Mr. Mudd partner to produce the documentary, was quoted saying, “...the film was not meant to be polemical but to explore the contentious issue of border control” he also said, “If someone turned up to my house, especially a child, and seemed like they might be hungry, I personally would want to look at them before I said, ‘I can’t help you’” (Preston). Similarly, Cammisa’s purpose is quoted in another article saying that, “Cammisa’s hope is that this film will raise public awareness of the realities of child migration and provide a better understanding for our policymakers of why children make these journeys on their own. It is a document meant to implore and challenge all of us to demand more humane immigration policy reforms in this country” (Cohn). In light of this, as a final word, “It’s been going on for a decade and it’s time for it to stop” (Cohn).

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          This edge-gripping documentary is a must watch! If this movie review has left a wanting to experience more of the journey of each of these individual children the documentary is easy to access on various platforms. Currently, the documentary is free to watch on the website Tubi.com. If Tubi isn't an easily accessible website then the documentary can also be streamed on the following platforms: HBO Max (Subscription), Hulu (Premium Subscription), Sling TV (Premium Subscription), Amazon Prime Video (Premium Subscription), Vudu ($2.99), and YouTube TV (not able to be used with a mobile device). Don't miss out on this nail-biting frightful adventure that is not only filled with emotions but is also very well-rounded and educational for individuals of all ages. 

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Works Cited

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Barone, Adam. “American Dream” March 27, 2020, 

https://www.investopedia.com/terms/a/american-dream.asp Accessed: September 24, 2020.

 

Cammisa, Rebecca. Which Way Home. HBO. 2009. 

 

Cohn, Pamela. “Riding the Rails: ‘Which Way Home’ Traces a Treacherous Journey” August 9, 2009, 

https://www.documentary.org/online-feature/riding-rails-which-way-home-traces-treacherous-journey Accessed: September 24, 2020.

Preston, Julia. “Not Child’s Play: Closely Watched Train Hoppers” August 23, 2009, 

https://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/24/arts/television/24migrant.html Accessed: September 24, 2020.