
Purgatorio: A Journey Into the Heart of the Border
2013

Representation Score
Excellent
2017
Director
Joshua Bonnetta, J.P. Sniadecki
Runtime
94 minutes
Average Rating
No ratings yetNew Showbiz Analysis
El Mar La Mar is a powerful piece of cinematic ethnography that shifts the borderlands narrative from state policy to personal, sensory experience. The film excels in its portrayal of Latino/Hispanic identities and the perspectives of migrants. However, it remains neutral regarding specific identity markers like LGBTQ+ representation or explicit disability narratives. While it avoids harmful stereotypes, it does not actively center these demographics as primary drivers of the plot.
Category Breakdown
The film emphasizes survival and mythic experiences rather than focusing on LGBTQ+ identities. It avoids common stereotypes related to sexual orientation and gender identity, but does not explicitly address narratives centered around queer identities.
The narrative downplays traditional gender roles by emphasizing raw survival. Characters' actions are driven by their experiences in a hostile environment rather than conforming to societal expectations.
The film stands out by highlighting Latino/Hispanic identities and the experiences of migrants. It challenges the typical perspective by prioritizing the voices and stories of those directly affected by border enforcement policies.
The work critiques Western geopolitical structures and state-imposed boundaries. It portrays the desert as a place of mythic struggle and human suffering.
The film explores the psychological and physical traumas inherent to life in harsh conditions. It avoids portraying individuals with disabilities as pitiable, instead presenting their struggles as part of a broader, systemic issue.
Present on Screen
Limited or Absent
Official Synopsis
An immersive and enthralling journey through the Sonoran Desert on the U.S.-Mexico border, El Mar La Mar weaves together harrowing oral histories from the area with hand-processed 16mm images of flora, fauna and items left behind by travelers. Subjects speak of intense, mythic experiences in the desert: A man tells of a fifteen-foot-tall monster said to haunt the region, while a border patrolman spins a similarly bizarre tale of man versus beast. A sonically rich soundtrack adds to the eerie atmosphere as the call of birds and other nocturnal noises invisibly populate the austere landscape. Emerging from the ethos of Harvard's Sensory Ethnography Lab, J.P. Sniadecki's attentive documentary approach mixes perfectly with Joshua Bonnetta's meditations on the materiality of film. Together, they've created an experience of the border region like nothing you've seen, heard or felt before.

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