The Lost City
Candelaria is an unincorporated community in Presidio County, Texas, United States, with about 75 inhabitants. The town stands in the Chihuahuan Desert on the north bank of the Rio Grande, just across from the small Mexican town of San Antonio Del Bravo. The two towns were once linked by a bridge across the river that enabled the inhabitants of San Antonio Del Bravo to buy groceries and supplies from Candelaria; some sent their children to school there. However, in a controversial move in 2008, the bridge was removed by the US Border Patrol because of concerns that it had become, in the words of Border Patrol chief John Smietana, "a route for terrorists, drug traffickers and illegals”.
Boquillas Crossing
With what some would consider a militarization of the US/Mexico border. There is a small pocket of hope that is serving as an example for border crossings throughout the region. Boquillas Crossing is tucked deep inside the mountains of Big Bend National Park in West Texas. I travelled there just the other day and it is unlike any border crossing on the southern border. There is no border patrol constantly patrolling the river, instead for a small fee you have a boatman take you across the river where there is a multitude of tour guides patiently waiting to show you around Boquillas. After you cross you hop on a horse and ride the remaining half mile to Boquillas. Inside the port of entry there is no DHS agents, only a small kiosk where you swipe your passport and talk to an agent over a phone. This border crossing was closed for over 11 years now tourists take the ferry across everyday and with what once was an oppressed economy Boquillas is starting to slowly come alive. Keep an eye out for this story as part of "The Lost City" documentary. I will also be posting an excerpt from this story soon. Spread the word
Our intention with the movie
Three years ago, I started work on a film called “An American Dream”, a movie about the immigration debate raging in the United States. Two years after I began the film, it was picked up by The Documentary Channel and aired every month for 2 years across the United States. It was viewed by more then 500,000 people. Our voice about immigration was and continues to be heard. Now, with my small crew, I want to repeat that process with this new documentary called “The Lost City”. Once again, our voice can and will be heard across the country. Tell everyone you know to help support our effort to make this movie.