Short Summary
Ay Mariposa tells a story of three characters in the Lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas whose lives are upended by plans to build a US-Mexico border wall. As the director of the National Butterfly Center, Marianna Trevino Wright has become a leader of wall resistance in the Valley, a position that has resulted in violent threats from pro-wall zealots and an emotional odyssey as she tries to navigate the ever-shifting sands of border policy. Zulema Hernandez, a life-long migrant worker, immigrant and great grandmother, has been a dedicated advocate for all migrants, both wild and human-kind. Meanwhile the butterfly, la mariposa, fights its own daily battle for survival in a landscape where more than 95 percent of its habitat is long gone and what remains lies directly in the path of the wall. Ay Mariposa documents each characters’ fierce commitment to home, justice, wild beauty and the future of the US-Mexico borderlands.
Our funders will help us document this story and bring it the American public and policy makers, with the intention that we all play a role in turning the tide against walls and inhuman immigration policies. In addition to bringing this film to film festival audiences, we will organize a grassroots festival kit that our supporters can bring to their communities, along with tools for outreach to their federal elected officials. We will work with conservation and human rights organizations to engage audiences and and apply pressure where it is needed most, in Washington DC.
What We Need & What You Get
- Time is of the essence--wall funding and construction are ongoing, and we want our film to reach the public as soon as possible. Our goal is to raise $25,000 through Indiegogo, to cover our basic production costs while we raise additional money towards a finished film. With this $25,000 funding foundation, we can ensure that we'll have enough funding for a completed film in early 2019.
- As supporters of this film you will receive perks that celebrate the beauty of the borderlands and help spread the message of borderlands conservation. The perks include having your name mentioned in our closing credits, limited edition artwork, a coffee table book, and a kit for a film festival you can host for your friends, family and community.
- Even if we don't reach our goal, every amount donated will help us make this film a reality and help change the discourse around this shared borderlands and the broader issue of migration.
The Impact
Your support for Ay Mariposa will help bring the reality of life on the border to those who live far away, from Washington DC to Iowa to Oregon. Why is this important? Because the future of those who live in the US-Mexico borderlands will be significantly impacted by the decisions of those who live far away, many of whom have never visited the border but have the power to make life-and-death decisions for millions of people and countless wild species.
Our team has a decade of experience working on borderlands conservation and advocacy, with deep roots in the nonprofit and government channels that are most tied to the outcomes of border policy. With this film as a tool, we can cast a net wide and deep, helping to make a long-term shift in the way we view the borderlands and our relationships with each other.
Risks & Challenges
Political winds are constantly shifting and keeping up with the changing events on the border and in Washington DC is challenging. Congress (with bipartisan support) has already allocated more than $3 billion for border wall construction, and momentum is building to add more. Wall expansion began in New Mexico in spring 2018, and putting a halt to this construction is not possible. But we can make a difference in the future if we reach out to the hearts and minds of our neighbors, friends, and political representation and assert that we do not want to be a nation of walls. Public perception is shifting all the time, with our intention or not. We are changemakers, and this film can be a tool toward that end.
Other Ways You Can Help
If you don't have the ability to contribute financially to this project, you can still help Ay Mariposa and the wildlife and people of the borderlands.
- You can call your members of Congress and ask them to stop funding border walls and fences.
- You can share this Indiegogo campaign with your friends and family.
