| |
Speelfilm, 100 min.
Spaans-Engels/Ned.
Regie & scenario: Gregory Nava
Met Jennifer Lopez, Antonio Banderas
Martin Sheen
VS, 2007
thema: Mexico, geweld tegen vrouwen
Lauren Fredericks
(Jennifer Lopez) is een ambitieuze dagbladjournaliste uit Chicago die
aast op een baan als buitenlandcorrespondent. Ze droomt ervan in Irak
het definitieve verhaal over de oorlog te schrijven. Maar haar baas
stuurt haar voor een reportage naar het Mexicaanse grensstadje Juarez,
waar honderden meisjes zijn verkracht en vermoord.
De meesten werkten in maquiladoras, fabrieken die grote multinationals
net over de grens plaatsen met het oog op lage arbeidskosten. In Juarez
neemt Lauren contact op met haar oud-collega Diaz (Antonio Banderas),
die voor een lokale krant schrijft.
Als ze een meisje probeert te redden uit de handen van haar moordenaars,
belandt ze in de duistere wereld van moord en corruptie. Met gevaar voor
eigen leven probeert ze de schokkende feiten boven tafel te krijgen.
http://www.bordertownmovie.nl/
The idea for Bordertown was brewing in Nava’s mind for a while. He and
his long-time collaborator Barbara Martinez Jitner began collecting news
reports coming out of Cd. Juarez, Mexico, across the Rio Grande from El
Paso, Texas, describing the findings of the bodies of young women raped,
murdered and half-buried in the desert on the outskirts of town.
The murders have been going on for years but only recently had American
media outlets began reporting of the persistent disappearances and the
lack of action on the part of Mexican authorities to stop the murders.
The murders seemed to have a pattern: The victims were all workers of
Maquiladoras, a series of factories which sprang up in Mexico along the
U.S. border as a result of the North American Free Trade Agreement
(NAFTA). These were young women from poor families who were helping
their parents subsist in the slums of Cd. Juarez by working at low wage,
dead-end jobs. The victims were usually attacked while riding the buses
running especially to transport workers to and from the factories. Some
of these buses run late into the night and stop in dark and dangerous
places.
Nava’s idea was to begin with a simple story woven from the tales of the
mothers and families of the fallen women as well as official news
reports. He began writing the story of one single girl Eva, who survives
a murder attempt and lives to bring her attacker to justice with the
help of an investigative reporter, who at first just wants to get the
story, but soon becomes swept up into this world. As for the antagonist,
the culprits still remain at large and there are theories as to who is
responsible for the murders. Everything from the sons of rich families
out for a night of fun, to the bus drivers who transport the women to
and from work, etc. Nava decided to combine several of the theories but
focused on the character of Aris, as the murderer. A darkly handsome
member of the Juarez’ ruling classes, Aris seems to rape and murder for
sport. He is aided by a bus driver.
For the role of Lauren Adrian, Nava always envisioned asking his good
friend Jennifer Lopez. He needed a strong, determined woman who could be
vulnerable but yet strike back when the time called for it. Nava decided
to meet with Lopez to explain to her the dire events in Cd. Juarez and
to ask her to join him in telling the story of these women through this
film, Bordertown.
Lopez, who is also producing Bordertown, signed on immediately. She felt
that she needed to get involved in the telling of this story and
bringing the plight of these women to the world. Once Lopez was on
board, Nava teamed up with producer Simon Fields, who runs Lopez’
Nuyorican Productions to begin pre-production
In the role of Diaz, the publisher of El Sol de Juarez, Nava needed the
electric presence of Antonio Banderas. Lauren immediately seeks out Diaz
to enlist his help in her investigation. Their onscreen chemistry is
undeniable as the perils of their work bring up their long-lost romantic
flame. However, Diaz is now married to Elena and has two children. The
suppressed passion is palpable as the two struggle with the resurgence
of their old love.
The rest of the Bordertown cast is rounded out by other long-time
collaborators of Nava. Sonia Braga, who previously worked for Nava in
PBS’ American Family, plays the role of Teresa, a well-meaning Juarez
socialite. Mexican star Kate Del Castillo, who also starred in American
Family, plays Elena, Diaz’ wife. Maya Zapata, who plays Eva, worked with
Nava on American Family and Zaide Sylvia Gutierrez, who plays Maya’s
mother Lourdes, starred in Nava’s Academy Award-nominated debut film El
Norte.
Nava met with Amnesty International, the non-profit organization that
monitors human rights abuses around the world to inform them of the
project. During the production, there was controversy on the Mexican
side of the border and many news reports of shadowy elements in Mexico
being unhappy about the film and pledging to sabotage its Mexican
locations. None of these fears materialized and the production was able
to move ahead as scheduled.
Bordertown was shot entirely on location in and around Albuquerque, New
Mexico during June and July 2005, with a second unit shoot in Mexicali,
Mexico, which lasted several weeks into August and September 2005.
In addition to the cast, Nava assembled a creative team of talented film
technicians that he is familiar and with whom he loves to work. Director
of Photography Rey Villalobos, who also filmed Nava’s American Family
for PBS as well as script supervisor Liliana Molina.
The people of New Mexico were warm and friendly, with neighbors often
gathering around the set to watch the action from afar. The stars, cast
and crew of Bordertown experienced gorgeous New Mexico sunrises and
sunsets as well as grilling heat during the desert shoots. However, they
each feel like they learned new things and saw new vistas |
|