Made in LA – One Xicano’s Review

Posted on: Friday, April 24th, 2009
Comments: 5

A brief review of Made in L.A (Hecho en Los Angeles), the Emmy-winning documentary, below the trailer.

[starreview]

Made in L.A. follows the remarkable story of three Latina immigrants working in Los Angeles garment sweatshops as they embark on a three-year odyssey to win basic labor protections from a trendy clothing retailer. In intimate verite style, Made in L.A. reveals the impact of the struggle on each woman’s life as they are gradually transformed by the experience.

Compelling, humorous, deeply human, Made in L.A. is a story about immigration, the power of unity, and the courage it takes to find your voice.

—MadeInLA.com

When I was first approached about this film, I was excited to hear of the topic and more than glad to accept a copy of the DVD to review. The issues of workers, immigrants, Latino/Hispanic families’ struggle in the US—all these things are important to me. They are important to me on a personal level and I’m not afraid to talk about that (as readers of one of my blogs know well). But that is not wholly relevant in talking about this documentary. The movie stands in its own right and has relevance to everyone in the US, whether they hail from Latin America, or Europe, or elsewhere. I don’t think it takes anything more than having human eyes and awareness to both absorb the message and to appreciate the lessons within this film.

I have to admit that initially I was a little worried, though, about two things.

One, that the movie would be utterly overwhelming; a drama that would be too much for me to bear. I am not only a Sensitive Artist Type® but again, I plug in to the issue in a personal way. It is not a mirror, even of my family’s history, but there are many connections that run right and left and can leave one feeling momentary gasping for air when soaking up too much suffering of others in similar settings or with overlapping roots and familial struggle. I didn’t know if this would be the case here.

Conversely, I was worried the movie would try too hard, and end up not being effective, but instead over the top and off-putting. An Immigrant Worker story that was the equivalent of those horrible television informercials that relentlessly looped images of bowlegged children with hollowed out cheeks and flies on their faces. In the first instance, at least, I wouldn’t have to say anything negative about the film. But if the second extreme were the case, I’d feel disappointed and be in a bind as to writing this review. Both fears were an indication, I realize now, of how much I wanted a film like this to work and my fears that it might not.

I’m happy to say that my worries were por nada. The filmmakers artfully balance the many aspects of this story. There are certainly a few moments in Made In LA that are heartbreaking to watch but they are organic and integrated artfully. Neither are they overly-represented (which would be far too easy, as you could cram three hours with heartbreak on the immigration issue and still have content to spare). All you are given is what one would need to see how these often abstracted issues look as they play out in people’s lives. Family. Identity. Integrity. Hunger. Loss. History. Vision. Community.

Made in L.A. (Hecho en Los Angeles) is persistently authentic and unpretentious, and in that simplicity, powerful. It doesn’t try to make anyone look better than they should, or more heroic than they are. Then again, it doesn’t need to. It simply shows us inarguable imbalance and injustice. The questions posed by the film speak for themselves once a viewer is faced with them.

What would it mean to have two, three, or five people in another land that depend on your income to stay alive? Beloved faces you are only able to see by playing an old, worn-out VHS tape that rattles with cockroach droppings trapped inside the dusty shell? What if your workplace were overrun with those roaches, and with rats? What would it feel like to be paid $3 an hour for working in a place like this…and yet not be able to demand more money, let alone an end to the unsanitary conditions?

This May Day the story is all the more relevant. The film highlights the struggle for labor protections that these workers lacked. It is not even a film so much about “the border,” it is a story about fighting for rights. Any person will be able to connect to the narrative because it is the quintessential American Story, after all. A story about about facing towering odds and oppressive forces and daring to dream of winning that fight. It is a story about sticking together and resilient spirit; about how dark it gets before the dawn finally breaks. Made in LA is also inarguably about how central women are to family and to community, and again, it never needs to say as much. Like the best cinema will, it simply shows you.

The message we are left with is, yes, emotional. But it is empowering. And the emotion is joy. These strong, determined, beautiful mujeres do have an effect. They, in fact, are responsible for a court ruling that subsequently helped and is helping other workers around the US. And so this is not simply an oppression or a struggle story, it is a success story. And not one about Hope® so much about acción.

Made in L.A (Hecho en Los Angeles) is a roadmap for women, for men, for the marginalized and oppressed; for consumers, citizens, and non-citizens; for changemakers, for organizers and activists and, maybe just as important right about now, it is a precious and powerful tonic for the soul.

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—by Nezua

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