Documentary Film: Mexiphobia

[sleepy]

Hello all.  My friend, Nevie Owens is premiering her documentary, "Mexiphobia", in Marfa and Terlingua.  It highlights the impact of the border closures on the villages along the Rio Grande.  I did some still photography for the project and would encourage anyone interested to attend.  The screenings are Saturday December 2 at the Goode Crowley Theater in Marfa and Sunday December 3 at the Starlight in Terlingua.  Call the theaters for times.  I think the Starlight showing is after brunch.  Thanks y'all.

[BigBendHiker]

In the Dec 4th San Antonio Express-News:

Film gives voice to Big Bend folks irked by closures
Web Posted: 12/04/2006 12:01 AM CST
John MacCormack
Express-News

MARFA — When the U.S. government closed a half-dozen informal West Texas border crossings eight months after 9-11, the ostensible aim was increased national security.

Little thought was apparently given to the hundreds of Mexican villagers in Boquillas del Carmen, Santa Elena and Paso Lajitas, who suddenly found themselves economically and socially cut off from American tourists and neighbors.

And, as the title of a new documentary, "Mexiphobia," implies, many in the Big Bend region believe the closures were based on irrational fears and have only degraded national border security.

Adding insult to injury, it soon came to light that far less drastic enforcement measures were applied to similar informal crossings along the Canadian border.

But more than four years of complaints to federal officials and requests to open the crossings, by Big Bend National Park superintendents on down, have come to nothing.

With its premier Saturday night here, "Mexiphobia" gives full voice to those upset with the closures and makes a forceful, nuanced case that the moves were both bad policy and inhumane.

Given a chance to speak, the locals pull no punches.

"It was really a double standard. These terrorists didn't come across the southern border. They came through the northern border. Is it because they (Mexicans) are brown and don't speak English?" asked Linda Walker, owner of a Big Bend stable.

Most of those heard in the 66-minute movie are local folks, and nearly half are Mexican. Austin filmmakers Nevie Owens and Buckner Cooke spent ample time on both sides of the Rio Grande.
Remarking with bitter sarcasm, "Profe" Galindo, a mayoral candidate from San Carlos, Mexico, said, "I don't know. Maybe there were too many terrorists in Boquillas. National security, they say."

Notably absent are any comments from officials of the various federal agencies charged with policing the border and responsible for closing the various crossings.

"No one would talk to us. We couldn't even get a written statement after repeated questions. It wasn't our goal to be one-sided, but our hands were tied," said Owens, 30.

The Big Bend National Park rangers who appear in the film say they knew a lot more about what was going on in Mexico when they were on friendly terms with the villagers.

One ranger also believes the park has lost its unique personality.

"There are lots of parks with mountains, deserts and rivers. What defines Big Bend is its interaction with other cultures, and we failed to protect that," said a saddened Marco Paredes.
The film paints a bleak picture of the now-isolated villages.

Boquillas, which once hosted hundreds of tourists each weekend, has since lost two-thirds of its population. Paso Lajitas is a ghost town. And Santa Elena, once a mellow artists colony, is too dangerous to visit.
In the three years Owens and Cooke spent working on the project, they regularly encountered a conceptual disconnect when they tried to explain its focus.

"The thing I found most interesting is that because we were doing something on the border, people assumed it had to do with immigration or drugs. You'd explain it several times, and they still didn't get it," said Cooke, 36.

The Saturday night screening here at a theater converted from an old feed store drew more than 100 people, most of whom appeared in complete sympathy with the message.

"I was raised here, and I think it's totally ridiculous for our government to close these crossings," said Boyd Elder, 62, of nearby Valentine.

The film's second showing came Sunday night in Terlingua.

Cooke and Owens say that, with a little luck, viewers and students across the country might someday see it and that with a little more luck, it could be seen in Mexico.
 
"The next step is to get it into festivals and get it screened. We've always viewed this as a PBS kind of film. We hope it will be shown on television," Cooke said.
________________________________________
jmaccormack@express-news.net

[Bobcat]

Thanks for sharing that article, BigBendHiker : )

[presidio]

new documentary, "Mexiphobia," implies, many in the Big Bend region believe the closures were based on irrational fears and have only degraded national border security.

I'd really like to see that film. It's short enough to stream...I wonder if it's available?

Notably absent are any comments from officials of the various federal agencies charged with policing the border and responsible for closing the various crossings.

"No one would talk to us. We couldn't even get a written statement after repeated questions.

Not surprising. Even if there had been official comment it would have been the same drivel already heard. They are in no way prepared to answer questions about the need, logic or efficacy of the closures, because there is none.

[rgibson]

Will be available in the future, but not now.

They hit  the Bend for a day and did the first version without much research.

This is the 2nd version.  The first was lacking in accuracy and some other things.  Some local folks offered to give the producers the knowledge they needed to make it more accurate.  The producers willingly accepted the offer.  Re:  the 2nd version.

A few more revisions are being made and then the 3rd version will be produced and sold.  The producers are really neat people and want their documentary to be very accurate.

3rd version should be finished and available soon.

[BIBEARCH]

We just had a local viewing of Mexiphobia here in Terlingua. The Starlight Theater was literally packed with standing room only.

If you've ever had the cross-the-river experience to Boquillas, Santa Elena, of Paso Lajitas - it'l bring tears to your eyes and cheers from your heart. This film needs to be publicized far and wide.

When the producers email me distribution information, I'll post it.

Tom

[nowens2]

hello.  just a quick note about the above discussion.  i am one of the producers of mexiphobia.  the screening at the starlight on dec. 3 was our first version and second screening; the first being the night before in marfa.  i believe our film is getting confused with another that screened in the area over a year ago.  we are currently tweaking and trimming to fit t.v. standards.  our goal is to get a dvd distribution and pbs screening.  we are currently submitting to festivals all over the country and setting up more screenings.  we will most definitely keep everyone posted.  thanks for your support.

[presidio]

i believe our film is getting confused with another that screened in the area over a year ago.

Not asking you to plug a competitor, but what film would that be? I am interested in anything that exposes the idiocy and double standard of the southern border vs. northern border situation.

our goal is to get a dvd distribution and pbs screening.  we will most definitely keep everyone posted.  thanks for your support.

Any timetable on a direct sale of dvds?

[Roy]

hello.  just a quick note about the above discussion.  i am one of the producers of mexiphobia.  the screening at the starlight on dec. 3 was our first version and second screening; the first being the night before in marfa.  i believe our film is getting confused with another that screened in the area over a year ago.  we are currently tweaking and trimming to fit t.v. standards.  our goal is to get a dvd distribution and pbs screening.  we are currently submitting to festivals all over the country and setting up more screenings.  we will most definitely keep everyone posted.  thanks for your support.

I'd really likie to see this;  maybe you can get David to send out some kind of alert when it's ready to go.

I haven't talked to anyone in particular about this situation in probably a year, but I'm very pessimistic about the chances of the border being reopened.  DEA, INS, Texas DPS, and even FBI all used 9-11 as a rationale to do what they already wanted to do.

[rgibson]

Yep, there is/was some confusion by me and others.   re:  My previous post.  

Movie 1 was done in haste and there was some really inappropriate footage when preview shown at the Starlight a cpl of years ago.  The producers are cleaning it up.

Movie 2  by different producers (Mexaphobia) was researched properly and it is the one shown most recently at the Starlight.  Thanks to the producers post that  very tastefully in pointing out the fact in his post.

[Voni]

http://www.vuze.com/search?q=Mexiphobia

from the Terlingua Moon:

Mexiphobia the documentary film of the impact of the border closing which Buckner Cooke and Nevie Owens produced was selected for an on-line viewers' choice award for the Cinequest Film Festival. The
winning film gets to be part of the festival. Vote by downloading Mexiphobia. You have to download the film in order to vote, but you don't have to actually watch the film on your computer. Hopefully, with every festival mexiphobia gets in it will be more likely you
get to see it on the big screen in a town/city near you. Currently, Mexiphobia will be screening at the Big Sky Documentary Film Festival in Montana.

http://www.vuze.com/search?a=SALL&cat=X&ch=X&cs=X&ct=X&page=content%

http://www.vuze.com/search?q=Mexiphobia

Voni
  sMiling