The Mexican Files: An emergency documentary from the creators of 'A Day Without Mexicans'

The Mexican Files (in reference to the series “The X-Files”) emerges amid circumstances where silence is not an option and where the urgency of empowering voices of protest is so great that an immediate action plan must emerge in response. That is why the creators of this new project have called it “an emergency documentary.”

Yareli Arizmendi and Sergio Arau, creators of the film “A Day Without Mexicans,” presented their new project, The Mexican Files, at Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum‘s morning press conference on May 9. In an interview with MxPA, Yareli commented that this documentary is being created “to give coherence to what is happening and what the constant attacks against Mexicans mean.”

Sergio also explained the challenge of producing a work in such a short time: “If you want a film to be super beautiful, perfect…it’s going to take a while. Right now, it’s more important to prioritize the message.”

The filmmakers also said they were surprised by the need for a new work that addressed the conflict in Mexico-United States migration, because when they were finishing “A Day Without Mexicans,” they felt it was too late to talk about the problem.

The couple admitted that at the time, it seemed like an immigration agreement would be reached soon. The contribution of Mexicans was (and continues to be) so important economically and socially that it makes no sense to attack the people who truly make the United States great.

“No way,” Sergio pointed out, “they would have thought that in twenty years, relations between the two nations would escalate to such tension.”

Yareli explained, comparing both works, that “A Day Without Mexicans” was a work of fiction, a “very serious comedy.” In contrast, “The Mexican Files” is a documentary based on interviews with the aim of debunking myths and lies about the relationship between the Mexican and American people.

Faced with this diplomatic and immigration uncertainty, both agreed that the Mexican government’s role has been fundamental and celebrated its initiative to recognize and assist migrants.

In this regard, Sergio explained: “We had to deal with other governments for many years, and the truth is that there is a difference; there is attention. Before, you felt like they were just waiting for them to send money, but now they’ve put resources into helping people.”

Both filmmakers agree that this documentary seeks to show a truth that is not “out there,” but rather within the very country from which they are trying to deport and attack Mexican migrants.

This truth, they emphasized, is that Mexicans are a fundamental pillar of the US economy, a cornerstone of that country’s businesses, and one of the main reasons why California is the fourth-largest economy on the planet.

“The Mexican Files” does not yet have a release date, although a preview can already be seen on social media.

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