EL NORTE

139 minutes

Director: Gregory Nava

Country: USA

Year: 1983

Language: Spanish (English subtitles)

Overview:

Mayan Indian peasants organize in an effort to improve their economic situation. After the army destroys their village and kills their family, a teenage brother and sister decide they must flee to “El Norte”. After receiving clandestine help from friends and humorous advice from a veteran immigrant on strategies for traveling through Mexico, they arrive in Los Angeles, where they try to make a new life as illegal immigrants.

Previewing Activities

• What do you know about illegal immigration?
• How do you feel about it, and what should the US government do about it?
• What do you know about the life of a Mayan peasant in Central America?

Post-viewing Activities

• What happens the first time Enrique and Rosa try to cross the border?
• How do they finally get into the US?
• What jobs do they have? (two for each)
• What happens to Rosa?

Class Projects

• Make a collage of things that are different between life for an immigrant in L.A. and life for a peasant in Guatemala.

How to Borrow this Video:

The videos owned by the UNC-Duke Consortium in Latin American and Caribbean Studies are housed in the Outreach Office of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.  They are lent free of charge.  For information on films and reservations, please visit http://isa.unc.edu/film/films_main.asp.