no al muro / no wall

. . .

When the government shut down in December of 2018, the town of Boquillas, MX was cut off from access to basic goods such as food and fuel. The wall will destroy this community, which for decades has had a peaceful and mutually beneficial coexistence with its northern neighbor. And the wall may allow Texas’ first National Park to burn for there will be no Mexican firefighting unit to protect it like they do now.

It will also cut through Big Bend National Park, home of Texas’ most beautiful and rugged country, disturbing wildlife migration and the quality and flow of water. For Boquillas sits near the headwaters of the Rio Grande - a river that supports over 5 million Texans and Mexicans.

This is a short film that celebrates Mexican border culture. To be a voice against the alienation of a people. A film to create a remembrance of what will be lost if the wall is built. A film to let you feel the life and vibrancy that is La Frontera - the border.

The Boquillas crossing is one of the few borders where by crossing, you help support the relationship between the Unites States and Mexico. Each day travelers from both sides cross via rowboats through the International Ferry. From the US side, it is mainly tourists who come to visit a unique town, where they can experience a time of cowboys, and songs, hand-made goods, and a freedom that my own children have never known. The beauty of Boquillas is that it is largely untouched by modern society.

Surprisingly though, this tiny Mexican town is also very valuable to the United States. Big Bend National Park sits across the river and since 1990 it has been defended from wildfires by an elite Mexican firefighting unit known as Los Diablos. These guys are renowned for their firefighting skills - they fight fires largely by hand, up close and personal. And they have fought fires all over the Unites States.

For me, the border of Boquillas and Big Bend National Park is a shiny example of how people from 2 nations can create an environment of trust.