Children, boundaries, and border-crossings in Latin American and Latinx films

ABSTRACT

This study examines the way children are represented and symbolically connected to themes involving boundaries and border-crossings in films directed by Latin American and Latinx filmmakers. The analysis centers on 11 films produced between 1998 and 2022, including critically-acclaimed and independent films with international distribution. Drawing from literature in critical/cultural studies and Latina/o communication studies, and using qualitative text analysis as a methodology, the analysis examines thematic references to physical, social, and symbolic boundaries and borders. Findings suggest that the figure of the child carries complex meanings in Latin American and Latinx cinema, and is connected to narrative tropes that involve a disruption of various boundaries and borders. From an intercultural and international perspective, the films emphasize ethical and humanitarian imperatives, addressing issues such as migration, exile, abandonment, and uprooting.

KEYWORDS:

• Film
• border-crossing
• critical/cultural studies
• Latina/o communication studies
• qualitative research methods

Acknowledgements

An earlier version of this paper was presented at the International Association for Media and Communication Research annual conference in 2022. I appreciate the feedback I received then, as well as reviewers’ comments regarding the paper, which helped improve it. Special thanks also to Tanvi Thakur, who contributed library research for the literature review.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1 All the directors of the movies included in this study were born in Latin American countries (specifically: Mexico, Chile, Argentina, Brazil, and Costa Rica). Some of them continue to live and work in their countries of origin, while others have taken up residency (temporarily or permanently) in countries such as the United States. Hence, they are all Latin American by birth, but some also consider themselves part of diasporic and/or U.S.-based Latinx communities. Please note that “Latinidad” is not to be considered a racial category or a unified ethnicity, as multiple ethnicities and racial backgrounds can be found throughout Latin America, as well as in Latinx communities around the world.

2 The subset of movies included in this study can be considered a purposeful sample. Availability was a factor in the selection, so all films selected had to have international distribution. While an effort was made to include variety in terms of country of production, directors, and genres, all selected films had to include child characters and address themes of boundary- and border-crossing, which are the focus of the study. It is necessary to acknowledge that this subset of movies cannot fully encompass the entirety of film production across Latin America – and assessing the scope of that production is beyond the purpose of this paper. Future research could be conducted with a larger sample of films, in order to compare and contrast themes between countries.