Winner of “Best Documentary” in the Chicago Latino Film Festival
by Ashley W Joyce
Esau Melendez & Immigration Nation
Winner of “Best Documentary” in the Chicago Latino Film Festival
Talk about passion, Esau Melendez is a story of a struggle within a struggle. His film Immigration Nation is the film of our time, focusing on the Immigration Rights Movement, along with the tale of Elvira Arellano, a single mother who fought deportation here in Chicago. Shown at the Chicago Latino Film Festival it won “Best Documentary” by the Audience Choice Award.
In a time where freedom is being challenged and affecting all Hispanics nationwide, Esau’s film presents perfect exhibition of movement within our time. In this one on one interview, TRM talks to the most active filmmaker of our generation about the success and the tribulations it took to finish this epic film.
“How do you feel now? With the film showing at this year’s festival?”
I was anxious, interested to get the film to the people. The first screening was a success. Everyone was very optimistic and enthusiastic. It makes me feel good, people are talking about it. In the industry, you depend a lot on your work, and getting a great response from the people helps get distribution.
At the Q&A after the show many people stayed, the energy and the feelings are very different depending on the audience. Everyone is always moved about the film, I have not received any criticism yet. Every time I see the film with a new audience. I go through so much emotion, it is personal and I have a lot of attachment to it.
How do you feel about the film and its over all impact?
From the beginning I have responsibility to tell the story, and at the moment it’s doing that. The US policy end was cut a bit but there is so much information and at the moment the story is what I wanted to tell. The story is being reflected very well. The ending makes the film suffer a bit, because it leaves questions. But my film is not about a solution it is about the story. It is the journey that engages with what really happens. You have laughter, suspense, anger and sadness.
What is your next step with this film? Where else are you taking this film?
Right now I’m just enjoying the moment, I want to keep showing it in festivals. I’m still waiting on other festivals, hopefully the LA festival, if the film gets in, it may qualify for the Oscars. I don’t want to rush…I want the community and the grassroots organizations to carry the film. I want to reach the people. Maybe go to PBS nationally but we’re working on different ways to promote this film.
I really want to go to Mexico; the story is based on a lot of people. This would be a great accomplishment; I want to take it back to my roots, back to where I came from and show people how people are struggling here. This movement is very significant part of US history and this documentary represents that.
The next step is also to reach the audience that normally wouldn’t want to see this film. Like the Tea-Party people for example, gain an audience who is perhaps non-sympathetic for the movement.
I did this film for the passion and to tell this “specific story” I’d like to just make enough to pay off cost and debt. But at the moment It’s about the people, let the people talk about it.
Why Didn’t you put yourself in the film?
I decided to play the film as it is. That would add another story. The industry people who make calls on the film want me to erase the movement and focus on one character. But I couldn’t do it, It is important to me that I do not loose track of the story I wanted to tell.
How does Elvira feel about the film?
She watched it with her family and thought that it was really good. Wants this film to lift peoples spirits and motivate others for immigration rights.
She told me she hopes that it “Inspire a mas familias para que salgan el primero de mayo” (Inspires more families to come out on May 1st.) She is someone to represent the movement.
How do you feel about the media response?
Disappointed with the Spanish media, its always about big stars and sex scandals, gossip, they don’t cover enough about their culture. Philosophy of media is you have the shark and the fish. The fish only eats what you feed them, and the Spanish news doesn’t look for the food, they are fish. The English media is reacting to the story very well. I still don’t understand why the Spanish media hasn’t chosen to expose the film. La Jornada, It’s a very independent newspaper in Mexico, published a very great article on the film, this gives me some hope to at least reach Mexico.
What was your biggest struggle in accomplishing the film?
Pressure to get the film done, people would ask me “What is going on with the film?” But the honest answer was “I’m broke”. I’d have to take breaks because I did not have funds to produce it. Often times I would loose perspective on the film at certain points. I had many low points and rejections. People ignore you and that made me doubt my film. But when we finished it, I knew we have a story here.
In an attempt to get funding, It was very painful to show an unfinished film to people and they would criticized it before it was done.
The worst is that no one would even hear me out, they did not even give me a chance, or hear me out. People, who are making money off the community, didn’t want to support the film, when the film impacts the communities they are fighting for. Now some of them act like nothing happen.
Would you say you reached a dream?
I accomplished the dream to finish it. I still close my eyes and at the moment I feel like we are just at the beginning. It is a big deal that its a feature, but to me it needs to do more. I need to find a way so the film gets more exposure and reaches more venues. I’m trying to navigate where the wind takes us and the opportunities.
Immigrant Nation! The Battle For the Dream – Trailer from Esaú Meléndez on Vimeo.
How did you get into film?
In my late teens around 17, I asked myself “What am I going to do with film” I wanted to make music videos, but I realized the power of film for history, culture, and it’s affect on people consciously. I can’t explain why it happened, but I believe it was just destiny. I worked in wherever I could get a job, as a minority, I think it affected me. No one does Latin films, and things I respected and motivated me were not being produced.
I never graduated because I needed a job and when that job came, I learned. I decided I’m going to be a filmmaker by heart. And honestly making films is the only way to really do it.
Film is very expensive, It’s hard to build those foundations. It’s hard to get honest people to believe in what you do. This is where skills and proposals come in, “Professionalism” producing work people respect, showing dedication and having a good story.
Advice for future filmmakers?
Be honest with yourself; find your passion and what you can do best. Know if you are good at writing, the technical or creative. Once you conquer that, then you move into what you do best in this industry and people will respect that. Many people are in the industry and are unhappy because they are not doing what they want to do. And If you are not it will reflect in your work, improve the weakness and move up.
What is your next move as a film maker?
I need a break from documentary; it takes so much out of you. I want to focus on something narrative. Not sure yet, I don’t make decisions on what I think; It’s about what I feel at that time.
I’m sure no matter what Esau decides upon, TRM is sure it will lead to success. His film was a means to help document a struggle and in itself became a tale of a fight for a right to survive. Keep an eye out for this successful filmmaker as he takes on other film festivals, spreading the story born here in Chicago and affecting us all worldwide.