A Day without a Mexican, directed by Sergio Arau, was defiantly an interesting movie. While being a unique and sometimes humorous; the film looked at the very important issue of how the majority reacts to the minority, in this case the Latinos. In a way this movie address the theme of identity, asking who are the Latinos and how are they seen in the eyes of the majority.
The movie opens with Latinos doing their jobs; picking fruit, being a nanny, reporting for the local news station, and painting to name a few; and all of a sudden they disappear. This throws the lives of those whom they interacted with into chaos. The farmer can’t get his harvest in and the senator and his wife can’t do anything for themselves to get through the day. To the majority they are the invisible working class, doing all the hard work but not noticed until they are gone and those they work for can’t do without them.
One interesting idea about identity posed by this movie is about who are the Latinos and how do we know they are Latino. Throughout the movie the Latinos are often referred to as Mexicans, although we are aware that not all Latinos are Mexican. Other Middle Eastern people are often mistaken for Latinos as they walk the streets; they are commonly asked why they are still there as all the other Mexicans have left.
The question of identity is really embodied by the character of Lila Rodriquez. She is a Latino reporter hired by the local news station who is the only Latino to remain after the disappearance. Every one looks to her for the answer of how to bring the Latinos back and as a cure for preventing the rest of the people from disappearing. Later we find out that she is actually Armenian, and was raised by Mexican parents. She then disappears after stating she feels Mexican in her heart.
A fun fact is that the actress playing Lila, Yareli Arizmendi, is a Cuban-Mexican-American who was born in Mexico.
Interesting! I wondered about that actress and where she was from. Apparently she can pass as Armenian.
ReplyDeleteThe character of Lila Rodriguez was really important in the movie. She kind of helped to embody the spirit that the movie was promoting - a spirit of heartfelt devotion to who and what we love in association with who we are as individuals. This emphasis on identity being tied to relationships and heart and not physical locations, or place, is intricate, wise, and very true (at least I believe so). I think where we are from plays into who we are, but it may play a lesser role than some people first think.
I wonder how big a role land plays versus relationships in personal identity. In Bless Me, Ultima, land seemed to play a large role, while in A Day Without A Mexican, love and relationships was emphasized.
Good exploration of identity here. Part of identity is about how we are reflected back to ourselves through the eyes of others. But a much more important part is what we choose to embrace, and who we identify with, as Lila's character shows. I really like the links you added--giving us more insight into the identity of the filmmaker and the actress.
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