Hostile Border: A Cross-Genre Film about Crossing the Line

Did I ever tell you about the time Phillip and I walked into Mexico?

On the Border

Okay, before I start the movie review, here’s the short version: We took the trolley from San Diego south to the border, over this elaborate pedestrian bridge with tall metal turnstiles. On the other side was a Mexican soldier with a big gun just kind of hanging out there, not checking anyone’s papers or even making eye contact. We stepped off the bridge into a super sketchy part of Tijuana, rolling suitcases bumping along behind us, trying not to get robbed (or worse) while we looked for a bus where there wasn’t any.

I don’t recommend that particular way to see Mexico.

There are some lovely parts of Tijuana, but the border draws danger, making the city swell with the pressure of desperate outsiders.

Over the Line

The film Hostile Border begins, not on the border, but in Illinois, where it plunges you immediately into the world of the ambitious main character, Claudia. Minimal exposition. No flashbacks. It moves quickly and lets you fill in the gaps.

After Claudia’s history of credit card fraud and undocumented status catch up with her, she is deported – through another metal turnstile in a Tijuana port of entry – into Mexico, where she has little connection and even less knowledge of the language.

One thing the film does explain outright is the meaning of its working title, “pocha”, slang for “a Mexican American who can speak little or no Spanish”. It can also refer to something rotten. The first definition definitely applies to Claudia. Whether the second one does is a question posed throughout the film in various ways.

Does committing crime mean you are a criminal? What happens after you cross the line?

Veronica Sixtos’s performance as Claudia is so compelling you don’t miss words during her long stretches of silence, yet she conveys emotion and inner conflict subtly enough to be consistent with the character’s guarded nature.

Hostile Border is about the people who build fences to protect themselves, and the ones who believe crossing them is worth the risk. It pulses between the genres of thriller and western with moments of intensity balanced by scenes with room to reveal the complicated relationships between layered characters.

Inspired in part by conversations with actual deportees, this debut feature film for both director/cinematographer Michael Dwyer and writer/co-director Kaitlin McLaughlin won the 2015 the Audience Award at the Los Angeles Film Festival and a Special Jury Prize for Directing.

Hostile Border opens in select theaters (see list below) and on digital/video on demand platforms April 15. You can preorder it on iTunes now.

Theaters:

Arizona

Cinema Latino (Phoenix)
Harkins Theatres Spectrum 18 (Tucson)

California

Laemmle Noho 7 (LA)
Media Arts Center (San Diego)

Colorado

Sie Film Center (Denver)

Illinois

Gene Siskel Film Center (Chicago)

Texas

Cinema Latino (Pasadena)

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Images and preview courtesy of Samuel Goldwyn Films.

April 4, 2016January 9, 2018

Make a Travel Journal from Envelopes

The envelope travel journals we made in my most recent Southwest Maker Fest workshop came from a combination of this upcycled junk mail project and a simplified version of one my friend Trish came up with.

The idea is that you can make them from just a couple envelopes and some string, and then have a pocket-sized way to record memories from your next trip.

1. Fold an envelope in half – use a #10 (DL) envelope or experiment with other sizes, upcycle junk mail or reply envelopes, etc.

2. Punch a hole or two in the center (on the fold).

3. Cut the top flap at the fold or remove it altogether.

4. Repeat with one or more envelopes.

5. Thread yarn, string, or twine through the hole(s) of all the envelopes and tie them together. (Alternatively, you can bind the envelopes with ring binders, paper clips and/or rubber bands.)

The envelope outsides have become pages for writing, drawing, or collaging the story of your trip, and you can tuck momentos inside.

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March 28, 2016March 24, 2016

Advice Art

I met artist Betsy Halford at the Hidden in the Hills Studio tour, and I really dig her work. She does really interesting mixed media pieces, work in wax, collaged cards, and jewelry from found items.

She is working on a new piece that will incorporate advice people would give their younger selves.

You can take part in this collaborative work (anonymously, if you wish) by emailing her at betsy [at] monkeygirlartwork.com and answering this question:

If you could go back in time and give yourself some advice, wisdom or support, what age would you go back to and what advice would you give yourself?

So, what advice do you have for a younger you?
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March 21, 2016January 11, 2017

February Photo: Paints

I almost forgot about My Photo of the Month. I guess I’m still getting into the habit.

Anyway, here’s my pick for February.

I already shared about my watercolor painting (and you guys floored me with your encouraging comments!) Last month is when I started doing it more frequently, and something about the colors just fit.

Did your February feel colorful?
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March 14, 2016

Southwest Maker Fest 2016

Southwest Maker Fest on Saturday had interactive booths, workshops, stilt walkers, craft projects, artists at work, and all kinds of fun stuff.

Since lunchtime was pretty hectic at downtown Mesa restaurants last year, a couple of food trucks were standing by: Burgers Amore (which I was introduced to at Fan Fest) and Queso Good (which I tried at Phoenix Comicon).

I wish I had gotten a shot of the inside of the IDEA Museum, where my workshop was (I had my hands full of craft supplies at the time), so you could see all the delightful creative chaos of the projects going on in there.

Upcycled Travel Journal Workshop

For my workshop, I made the project a little less open-ended this time, because too many possibilities can stress some people out.

I showed how to make travel journals out of 2 envelopes folded and bound together.

Some people chose to keep the books blank for their next trip. One attendee covered his pages with red tape; another wove plastic bags together using a plastic-yarn technique they were teaching at another booth and threaded that into her journal.

Both adults and kids got to have fun making stuff, and that was really the point.

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