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The River and the Wall

Name: The River and the Wall
Director: Ben Masters
Released: 2019
Duration: 109 min

Representation Score

3.9/10

Limited

2019

Director

Ben Masters

Runtime

109 minutes

Average Rating

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New Showbiz Analysis

The documentary follows five friends on a 1,200-mile trek along the US-Mexico border, examining how a wall would affect landscapes and wildlife. Its core lens is environmental and political rather than identity-driven. Gender and racial diversity are present but uneven. Women like Heather Mackey contribute expertise, yet men dominate the crew. Filipe DeAndrade’s personal ties and interviews with locals and politicians add ethnic and cultural texture. Cultural critique is the film’s strongest dimension, challenging enforcement narratives. However, LGBTQ+ and disability voices are entirely absent, narrowing the scope of whose experiences the border debate includes.

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Category Breakdown

Does The River and the Wall have LGBTQ+ representation?

Minimal

No LGBTQ+ characters appear or are identified. The five-person crew concentrates solely on environmental and immigration issues, leaving queer perspectives absent from both the journey and the interviews.

How does The River and the Wall portray gender?

Fair

The crew mixes men and women, including ornithologist Heather Mackey. Women appear as knowledgeable experts, yet the group remains male-dominated, limiting the range of gendered viewpoints on the border.

How racially and ethnically diverse is The River and the Wall?

Good

Filipe DeAndrade brings a personal connection to the border region. The team interviews politicians and locals, surfacing varied perspectives on immigration and enforcement across different communities.

How does The River and the Wall represent religion and culture?

Excellent

The film critiques the border wall as harmful to nature and communities. It contrasts political rhetoric with on-the-ground realities, questioning strict enforcement policies and their cultural consequences.

Does The River and the Wall include disability representation?

Minimal

No characters with physical or mental disabilities appear. The documentary’s focus stays on the journey and political debate, omitting disability perspectives from the border conversation.

Present on Screen

Features a crew with personal ties to the border region.
Uses expert voices to link policy to environmental harm.
Contrasts political rhetoric with on-the-ground realities.

Limited or Absent

No LGBTQ+ representation among crew or interviewees.
Disability perspectives are missing from the border discussion.
Gender balance skews male despite some expert women.

Official Synopsis

Five friends embark on a 1,200 mile journey along the US-Mexico border from El Paso to the Gulf of Mexico to learn first hand what effect a border wall will have on the natural landscape and the wild animals roaming the land.

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