RKS 2023 Film: “A Thousand Pines”: Mexploitation, Mexmisery but Mexsalvation?

So here I go again with yet another documentary about Mexicans working in the United States. There have been a range of Mexemotions from entitlement, outrage, gratitude and perhaps a combination of all these elements.

The previous Mexmigration films I have reviewed have focused on illegals from Mexico working in the United States without proper documentation but in the documentary “A Thousand Pines” the Mexicans in the United States are welcomed with a temporary work visa where they plant tree seedlings for commercial timber farmers. Follow their life in the United States for three seasons and then to their return to Mexico for a few months break.

The work is dirty and exhausting but in a week $500-$600 dollars can be earned which would take them two to three months to earn in Mexico. Up early in winter, spring and summer away from their families for up to 9 months but their complaints are few as Mexico is not kind to the villagers from Oaxaca. But they can buy land, trucks and educate their children and pay medical bills. Mexico has failed millions of its citizens and as unfashionable as it may seem to Mexicrusaders the United States has rescued them.

Thanks documentary for giving a picture of the rough life Mexicans life in the United States on temporary work visas but they are there legally perhaps not good fodder for many documentarians revelling in Meximisery!

Isn’t it time for documentaries about Mexican workers in the United States to focus on why Mexico has failed so many of its citizens that are compelled to abandon their families for months so they can survive? And what is the effect on the children and family members with these absentee Mexicans? Yankee bashing abounds but what about Mexibashing?

“A Thousand Pines” had its world premiere at the New York Latino Film Festival (15-24September) and will migrate to many other film festivals after that. It will be showing on the United States Public Broadcasting System’s Independent Lens early in 2024. Directed and produced by Noam Osband and Sebastian Díaz.

Time to move on from individual Meximisery to societal implications of the Mexi labour drain. These Meximentaries are beginning to be awfully repetitive and boring.

RKS Film Rating 86/100.