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'The Border' shows unique view of the U.S.-Mexico boundary

Joshua D. Trujillo Arizona Daily Wildcat San Diego producer Paul Espinosa is complimented by Latin American studies graduate students Kelley Merriam (left) and Sarah Sarzynski, respectively, after the UA preview of his PBS special "The Border." The second half of the special will be aired tonight on KUAT channel 6.

The UA community got a sneak preview of a film that goes beyond stereotypes of immigration and takes a unique look at what life is actually like on the border.

About 30 people were entertained at the University of Arizona Monday night to a special preview of "The Border," which answered not only that question, but offered a unique look at the United States-Mexico border.

Arturo Gonzalez, a UA Mexican-American Studies assistant professor, said he was impressed that the film explored topics beyond what is usually written about border issues.

"If this video had been shown last week, I would have shown it in my class," Gonzalez said.

Gonzalez said he was particularly interested in a segment about land grants given to Mexican-Americans in present-day Texas. The video showed how many of these people became "poor and powerless" after the United States failed to give them the land it promised, he said.

The viewing was hosted by the film's executive producer Paul Espinosa. The first part of the film aired yesterday on PBS channel 6 and will continue tonight at 8 p.m.

The two-hour special presents six stories - three were told yesterday and the last three continue today - about border relations between the two countries in a non-traditional matter.

Espinosa was invited to share his film by the Mexican-American Studies research center.

"We wanted to break the mind-set that so many people have about the border," said Espinosa. "Their view doesn't do justice to the region."

Along with Texas, the setting for these stories included parts of Arizona, California and Mexico.

Espinosa said the film presents a new vision of the border that will break negative views. He added the film stayed away from over-covered issues such as immigration.

"I think that this series will do well on PBS because there's not very much like it on PBS right now," Espinosa said.

The audience, mostly Latino, was treated to positive stories of the border in a manner to which they could relate.

One such story was about the movie "Titanic," which was filmed south of the border in Baja California.

Titanic director James Cameron chose to build a studio in Mexico after exploring other sites across the United States. Headlines in Mexican newspapers read "Hollywood comes to Baja." The movie began production in 1995.

The movie production generated money into the Mexican economy and employed hundreds of Mexicans as extras. Mexicans were picked based on how European they looked.

The Titanic production site is now a tourist attraction.

Another story depicted in "The Border" was based in Tucson and examined the Tohono O'Odham reservation where land disputes still continue.

Tohono O'Odham land begins in southern Arizona and stretches into northern Mexico. Reservation leaders do not recognize the border because they felt the border was placed on their land without their permission.

Despite an on-going political fight, the reservation continues to live with a border on their land.

All these stories had positive aspects and some conflict with one underlying theme that they are some how affected by the border.

Production for the film began in 1998 and was paid for by the Public Broadcasting Corporation.

Espinosa also produced films on the Mexican-American War of 1846-1848, and on Pancho Villa that also aired on PBS.

"The Border" will also be shown in Mexico.