18 Feb 2015
Director: Diego Quemada-Diez
Mexico
2013
102 min
A Mexican ballad, La Jaula De Oro, tells of the despair of immigrants who have actually made it into the USA. They find it a “golden cage” because America accepts illegals’ cheap labour without allowing them the proper residency papers they need to rise beyond the faceless servant class. With US dollar bills sewn into their jeans, Juan, Sara and Chauk plan to ride the rails through Mexico and over into California. By volunteering as drug mules these vulnerable teenagers face danger and potential death from predatory criminals to whom their young lives are worthless. A substantial tale told with great compassion and urgency, The Golden Dream depicts the desperation of the immigrants and the harsh reality of their situation.