Staff Review/ La Jaula de oro

Cornerhouse Digital Reporter Aisling McCourt reviews La Jaula de oro

Diego Quemada-Diez’s gripping debut feature opens with Sara (Karen Martínez), a Guatemalan teenager, cutting her hair and bounding her breasts to make herself less vulnerable for the long trip ahead. Together with her travelling companions Juan (Brandon López) and Samuel (Carlos Chajon), she sets off on the perilous road to the US border.

From the outset, La Jaula de oro (The Golden Dream) lets us know this isn’t going to be a forgiving journey for the teenagers, as they are ill prepared for the precarious journey that takes them from their native Guatemala to what they hope will be a bright new life in the US. Not too far into the journey the trio encounter Chauk (Rodolfo Domínguez), a young indigenous Indian who speaks no Spanish, who joins their group.

The Golden Dream shows how fraught life can be for those living on the margins. Throughout their journey, the travellers face danger and almost certain death from predatory criminals who regard their young lives as worthless. They have encounters with the police, traffickers and endure the tough conditions of the road. Chauk is marginalised further, even within the group.

That said, the group are offered kindness along the way and we’re reminded that whole economies are built around this migration, giving us an insight into their community as we share in their camaraderie.

The coming of age tale works well as we become a first-hand witness on their arduous journey, travelling beside them on the rooftop train rides taking in the stunning views and infinite dust. Within these conditions, the film does not neglect to remind us that these travellers are still children on the border between youth and adulthood. There are teenage crushes, laughter and dancing punctuated by the harsh realities of the road. I find myself shuddering at their childlike vulnerability as their coming of age is defined by the cruel experiences they endure.

I found this to be a film that flowed beautifully, aided by the spectacular train rooftop landscapes and Chauk’s visions of snow. But at the same time it delivers startlingly brutal and abrupt departures along the way, which interrupts this peace. As a lazy viewer, this left me slightly bereft and yearning to know what happens next, all too used to neat Hollywood story resolutions.

The long journey takes its toll, including on the audience. Despite running well below the two hour mark, I did feel a little drained by the end. As an intimate witness, I felt like the fifth traveller on their unforgiving journey, sharing the exhaustion from the dry heat and emotional upheaval. The film achieves its greatest success in presenting a gritty, uncompromising portrait of illegal immigration which never flinches from reality. Through the intimacy of the film, you share the group’s struggles and dreams, and find yourself their biggest champion praying they make it to the end.

La Jaula de oro screens as part of ¡Viva! on Sat 15 Mar. Book your tickets and watch the trailer here.