ThesunbeatsdownmercilesslyonallthosewhocrosstheSonoranDesertbetweenMexicoandtheUnitedStates.Asidefromthefewpeoplewholivehere,it’sthepoorestofundocumentedimmigrantsthatmakethecrossing,whohavenochoicebuttotakethisextremelydangerousroute,followedbyborderguardsbothofficialandself-appointed.Thehorizonseemsendlesslyfarawayanddeadlydangerslurkeverywhere.It’sbesttomoveunderthecoverofdarkness;duringtheday,beingexposedtotheheatandsunisenoughtomakeanimalsandhumansperish.Theirtracesandremainsaccumulate,fade,decomposeandbecomeinscribedintothetopographyofthelandscape,makingtheabsentever-presentaslifeanddeath,beautyanddread,hostilelightandnightsaglitterwithstarsandpromiseallcontinuetoexistalongsideoneanother.Elmarlamarmasterfullyweavestogethersublime16-mmshotsofnatureandweatherphenomena,animals,peopleandthetrackstheyleavebehindwithapolyphonicsoundtrack,creatingacinematographicexplorationofthedeserthabitat,amulti-facetedpanoramaofahighlypoliticisedstretchofland,afilmpoemthatconjuresuptheocean.
2024-03-01