Exile Nation: The Plastic People - Summary
Since 9/11 nearly 4 million people have been deported from the United States, 97% of them Latino. Mexican-American immigrants were hardest hit: those who left Mexico years before to build a new life in the States, had families, and contributed to their communities, yet still had not achieved citizenship. Children were taken from parents, leaving tens of thousands as wards of the state. Many were deported without any hope of returning, their families trapped on the other side of the border.
Regardless of their country of origin all Spanish-speaking immigrants are deported to the nearest Spanish speaking country, Mexico. Most land in Tijuana, at a rate of 400 a day. They are stripped of their identity and possessions and dropped off in Zona Norte, a dangerous, cartel-infested ghetto, where they are pursued relentlessly by police. Without support in Mexico, they remain homeless and desperate, and find themselves easy prey.
Disavowed by both nations, and abandoned to the streets to die, they are known in Tijuana as the "Plastic People." Their fate may have gone unnoticed by the world if it were not for one man, photographer Chris Bava, who moved to Tijuana to find a way of saving his life, and in the process, documented the plight of these people he saw as no different from himself.
Shot on location in Tijuana, this film follows the lives of a number of Mexican-American deportees living along the border just twenty miles from San Diego, while revealing how the exploitational policies of a failed war on drugs added Zone Norte to the growing international crisis of nationless refugees and deportees.
Spectral Alchemy, Lucidity, and Filament Features presents...
EXILE NATION: THE PLASTIC PEOPLE
Written, Produced & Directed by Charles Shaw
Produced by Ronnie Pontiac, Mitch Schultz, Tamra Spivey & DJ Turner
Edited by Daniel Garcia
Music by Random Rab
Principle Photography by Charles Shaw
Additional Photography by Taylor Cahill, Javier Godinez Mondragon, Jorge Nieto
Sound Supervisor - Dennis LaFollette
Featuring the photography of Chris Bava
What We Need & What You Get
We're almost there! The film's production and most of the editing has already been financed. We are currently deep into post-production. What we need are what's known in the industry as the "finishing funds" to complete the final edit, and the all-important movie posters and other promotional materials.
Specifically, these finishing funds are for:
Final Edit
CGI/Motion Graphics
Post Production Supervisor
Colorist
Sound Edit
Music/Score
On Line Edit
Posters, Promo & Website
- We need a minimum of $10,000 to complete the film
- Everyone who contributes will be listed in the credits as "Crowd Funders"
- All contributors will be invited to the preview screenings and premieres (location providing)
- Since we're also printing posters, you'll also get a signed poster if you donate $100 or more.
- Special producer credit for $1000 or more.
- Executive producer credit for $10,000 or more.
- Anything we receive from crowdfunding helps us reach our end goal, so no dollar contributed will be wasted or lost
The Long-Term Impact (or "Why You Should Help Us")
This documentary is one of the first to bring to light the consequences of a decade of mass-deportation. The problem is only getting worse, and more and more families are being devastated every day. This film will play an important role in the ongoing conversation about immigration reform, and the failed war on drugs.
The film also features the superb photography and documents the humanitarian efforts of the late Chris Bava. We hope to use whatever proceeds we may receive from the sale or screening of this film to set up an organization whose sole purpose is to ease the transition of deportation. This was Chris Bava's dream, and it is our intention to honor his legacy by seeing this through.
Our team is proven, and includes Director Charles Shaw (The Exile Nation Project), and Producers Mitch Schultz (DMT: The Spirit Molecule), Ronnie Pontiac & Tamra Spivey (Viva Cuba Libre: Rap is War) and DJ Turner of Filament Features. With songs and an original score by underground electronic music legend Random Rab.
Other Ways You Can Help
Some people just can’t contribute, but that doesn’t mean they can’t help:
- Look up the "Secure Communities" program and begin to educate yourself about mass-deportation
- Go to ExileNation.org and get signed up for newsletters and information, and connect to relevant social media
- Tell a friend, Indie-a-Go-Go's share tools make it easy
