The drama of two indigenous Guatemalans on their journey to Los Angeles tells a story that is not very different from the migratory phenomenon experienced by millions of people around the world. David Villalpando plays Enrique Xuncax and Zaide Silvia Gutiérrez plays Rosa Xuncax. (Instagram)
“In our own land, we have no home. They want to kill us….In Mexico, there is only poverty. We can’t make a home there either. And here in the North, we aren’t accepted. When will we find a home, Enrique? Maybe when we die, we’ll find a home.”
Almost 40 years have passed since the film El Norte made an impact in artistic, social, and political circles in the United States and parts of the world. The drama of two indigenous Guatemalans on their journey to Los Angeles tells a story that is not very different from the migratory phenomenon experienced by millions of people around the world. And for Zaide Silvia Gutiérrez, the actress who portrays Rosa Xuncax, one of the main characters, migration is a human right.
“Humans have always lived most of their existence as nomads, not as sedentary beings. The advent of agriculture changed our perception, but we should accept the right to migrate. Borders are like private property, ‘I won’t let you into my house,’ and we need to think about why,” says Zaide, a prominent Mexican actress in theater, television, and film.
“Humans have always lived most of their existence as nomads, not as sedentary beings. The advent of agriculture changed our perception, but we should accept the right to migrate. Borders are like private property,”, said Zaide. (Instagram)
“Filming ‘El Norte’ changed my life. Although it was about two Guatemalan indigenous people, we had to film it in Chiapas, Mexico. There were no political conditions to do it. Thousands of Guatemalan indigenous people were fleeing the repression of their government,” she adds.
Gregory Nava, the director of the film, chose Zaide after numerous auditions.
“I reflected many things from my youth; standing out was difficult. But David Villalpando, who plays Enrique Xuncax, and I had a spirit and a strong social conscience, which meant social struggle, and that sensitized us a lot. Sharing many moments with indigenous communities taught us a lot. For example, when we had to hire extras from the communities, they wouldn’t take off their traditional attire; for them, it was stripping them of their identity. We had to place the clothes for the film on top of their traditional clothing,” she says.
“El Norte” received an Oscar nomination for Best Screenplay, won the Montreal World Film Festival, was nominated for Best Screenplay by the Writers Guild of America, East, and was a box office success in Los Angeles and other cities worldwide.
In the United States, the debate on the migration issue and the struggle for the civil rights of immigrants began, and Nava was able to reflect the entire drama faced by these migrants when they arrive in the United States.
“I always remember a phrase from Salvador Díaz Mirón, which says: ‘No one has the right to the superfluous while someone lacks the essential.’ I always remember this when I see migrants in my city,” Zaide Silvia Gutierrez adds.
“The film made us grow, mature. In fact, I believe that all experiences make us mature. Just imagine, when we were filming, only eight years had passed since indigenous people were allowed to walk on the sidewalks of San Cristóbal de las Casas, to walk on their land! And now, after 40 years, the film is still relevant,” says Zaide.
For her, the difference in the migratory phenomenon is that before, individuals migrated, and now entire communities are migrating.
“It makes you wonder, what drives them to take that step and arrive at a place with no hope for anything. There is no government support. Migrating is very challenging. For me, seeing them on the streets of Mexico City with their young children is shocking. One wonders about the flaws in our governments. That’s why there are so many Enriques and Rosas (the main characters of ‘El Norte’),” she says.
For her, a good film project would be to follow those babies, migrant children, and see how they end up over time. That would answer the question, ‘What kind of society are we building.’
“I always remember a phrase from Salvador Díaz Mirón, which says: ‘No one has the right to the superfluous while someone lacks the essential.’ I always remember this when I see migrants in my city,” she adds.
Zaide has just celebrated 50 years of her artistic career and is now dedicated to a residency at the National Theater Company.
“The theater is my passion; cinema and television are full of stereotypes. I believe in content. Theater gives me that opportunity. Reality always surpasses fiction,” she concludes.
Migration means torture and abuse by criminal groups on the Mexican border
