El Norte | Teen Ink

El Norte

April 28, 2023
By αne BRONZE, Sacramento, California
αne BRONZE, Sacramento, California
4 articles 0 photos 0 comments

Favorite Quote:
“danger is real but fear is a choice.”
- Will Smith


Immigration is a cycle for the lost people of our world. The ones with no homes to go to other than death. El Norte, a 1983 immigration film was filmed in the exact locations of the story. El Norte was a movie project directed by Gregory Nava, an American film director. This film is about 2 hours long and has three parts, each part filled with psychological horror that would stain you. The symbolism in this film is amazing, you would have to watch the film at least twice and with care to catch them. From start to finish the true meaning of this film is hard to grasp. El Norte is a great drama immigration story, packed with a bunch of intensity.

The two main characters in this film are Enrigue (Played by David Villalpando) and Rosa (Played by Zaide Silvia Gutiérrez), two guatemalan siblings who want to move to the United States to escape Guatemala, their home, due to the dangers of the Guatemalan civil war. They have the misconception of the United States being a dream, where they could finally have a home, later on they find out that nowhere is their home, they aren't wanted anywhere. The movie focuses on the obstacles they come across attempting to immigrate to the United States, they soon realize that the journey is very dangerous and traumatizing. Once they get to the United States they realize that the American dream is only a myth, and that people eat eachother alive in the United States and do whatever it takes in order to survive. They have to learn how the United States functions, learn how to speak english, and learn how to survive. Enrique and Rosa have to learn to blend in America in order to stay alive, it's truly terrifying to watch these two try and blend in order to live.

El Norte was awarded with an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay, and was chosen for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress. Gregory Nava spent two years funding for this film without the support of movie studios, or television networks. He believed that they would try to change the script, and the cast for the movie. He succeeded by creating one of the best immigration movies of its time.

Gregory Nava wrote a symbolic masterpiece, he gave us the perspective of what immigration in the United States really means. There are multiple messages in this film that left me puzzled, and confused. And the ending left me baffled and perplexed. El Norte does not have the best quality but it is definitely one of the most touching immigration movies.


The author's comments:

El Norte gave me a better understanding of life in the United States for immigrants and how hard it is for them.


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