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The Fence (La Barda)

Name: The Fence (La Barda)
Director: Rory Kennedy
Released: 2010
Duration: 36 min

Representation Score

6.4/10

Good

2010

Not Rated

Director

Rory Kennedy

Runtime

36 minutes

Average Rating

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New Showbiz Analysis

Rory Kennedy’s documentary shifts the border discourse from state security to human rights. Using a post-colonial perspective, the film centers the lived experiences of those affected by border enforcement rather than focusing solely on government policy. The film is particularly strong in its portrayal of racial and ethnic identities, giving Mexican and Latin American voices a significant role in driving the story. This approach challenges traditional Western notions of sovereignty and nationalism. While the film is highly progressive in its systemic critique, it lacks specific focus on LGBTQ+ or disability-related narratives. This results in a moderate score for gender and a neutral stance on queer representation.

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Category Breakdown

Does The Fence (La Barda) have LGBTQ+ representation?

Fair

The film avoids negative stereotypes related to LGBTQ+ identities but does not center these narratives as a main focus of the border crisis.

How does The Fence (La Barda) portray gender?

Fair

The documentary offers a nuanced look at women within the migrant community. It challenges traditional gender roles by emphasizing civilian vulnerability over state or military masculinity.

How racially and ethnically diverse is The Fence (La Barda)?

Excellent

The film excels by highlighting Mexican and Latin American identities. It gives these populations a significant role through direct testimonies, challenging Anglo-centric views of border security.

How does The Fence (La Barda) represent religion and culture?

Excellent

The narrative criticizes Western institutional power and nationalism. It prioritizes the struggles of underrepresented, low-income communities over the traditional sanctity of the border.

Does The Fence (La Barda) include disability representation?

Minimal

There is no prominent or sustained focus on visible or invisible disabilities within the documentary's narrative.

Present on Screen

Highlights Mexican and Latin American identities through direct, personal testimonies.
Challenges Anglo-centric security narratives by prioritizing human rights over state sovereignty.
Gives a significant role in driving the story to underrepresented populations rather than treating them as passive subjects.

Limited or Absent

Lacks a specific focus on LGBTQ+ identities or queer narratives within the immigration crisis.
Does not provide a sustained exploration of disability representation.
Gender representation remains moderate without deeper subversion of gender-specific issues.

Official Synopsis

In Oct. 2006, the U.S. government decided to build a 700-mile fence along its troubled 2000-mile-plus border with Mexico. Three years, 19 construction companies, 350 engineers, thousands of construction workers, tens of thousands of tons of metal and $3 billion later, was it all worth it? When Arizona recently enacted one of the most extreme immigration laws in the country, the Obama administration responded by filing a lawsuit against the state. This dispute was merely the latest symptom of a greater national problem: the lack of a comprehensive, workable U.S. immigration policy. In its place, lawmakers have resorted to a series of half-measures, the most expensive of which — the U.S.-Mexico border fence — extends through the desert 150 miles south of the Arizona state capital.

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