Maquilapolis

Response by Lauren Baker

I was not aware that these conditions existed in these factories, at least to this extent. I found this film totally compelling, despite its rather calm and factual delivery of information. It had the feel of a home video at times, yet within that there were some very clear, intentional artistic decisions that were very effective in this narrative   From the very beginning I was hooked- the piece has such a personally quality that it grabbed my attention through its entirety. I felt empathy, surprise, disgust, and genuine curiosity when I finished, and the images of Tijuana and the voices of the women are replaying in my mind. I felt that this piece was so effective due to its ability to draw connections between the physical results of the factories and the people. The intermingling of these two worlds was very striking, especially for those with the privilege of oblivion; people who live in clean neighborhoods and do not have to fear for their physical health and safety. 

I drew connections between the world of nature and the world of machinery and chemicals, between symptoms of injury and compensation, and between physical objects and women. The worlds of nature and machinery were intertwined, which I felt was shocking for the viewer. When it started to rain, there was water running in a few different shots. Then a woman adds that that water running is not from the rain- it comes from the factories. Like the river in the neighborhood that one of the women played in as a little girl- the water is not natural. It is warped because of the current environment. The water in the river, which was once clean, is now "foxy" and "black". Another example: when two woman describe the smoke coming from the factory, ash begins to fall from the sky. It is reminiscent of snow, but it's manufactured and born from something quite unnatural- something that is in fact very harmful. Even the ground is full of danger- wires resemble the roots of a tree, and children playing are at risk of electrocution. 

Symptoms of injury were prevalent throughout the piece- nosebleeds, spots on the skin, hives, and sores on the body continue to be mentioned as the women describe their lives. This, along with various shots of the poor conditions of the city, is very striking. For example, a very skinny dog is displayed on screen, while one woman describes her life in a very calm manner. The strongest tactic I found in this piece was utilized here: the juxtaposition between such sad and powerful images, and the very simple, natural delivery of their stories. It was very personal, and created a totally immersive way of telling this story. The references to San Diego, United States, were especially effective. The bird's eye view of the Mexico and the U.S. border that is displayed in the beginning of the film does not show much difference between the two countries. The geography is identical, and the buildings look the same. Yet if one considers the wealth of San Diego, and then watches Maquilapolis, it is incredibly eye opening. 

I feel that this is especially important when considering how artists can also be activists. This was of displaying reality with the combination of such strong images and stories- the way that the film truly digs into the every day lives of these women and what they are striving to achieve- is very hard if not impossible to argue with. The facts are presented in such a way that evokes great empathy, without using tactics of "emotional manipulations" as Brecht may have described it.