Alambrista! (1978): Robert Young’s Indie, Tale of Mexican Immigrant, Wins Cannes Film Fest First Camera d’Or
Cannes Film Festival 1978–The independent filmmaker Robert Young moved from documentaries to features with Alambrista! (The Illegal), which won the first Camera d’Or ever given (Prize for best first film) at the 1978 Cannes Film Festival.
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Theatrical release poster
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Roberto, a farmer from Michoacan, aims to cross the border to provide for his family. However, upon reaching the US, he finds himself fleeing from immigration authorities. Nevertheless, he encounters various individuals who offer him assistance.
The cinema verité (hand-held camera, expressive close-ups) shifts smoothly from boy’s lyrical experiences to his more nightmarish ones.
Young captures vividly Roberto’s status as an outsider, chronicling his futile pilgrimage from Mexico, and then the events that tragically and inevitably force him to return home.
Speaking no English, Roberto gets an education. Joe (Trinidad Silva) instructs him with a series of lessons about how to march into a cafe, cross his legs like a gringo, order a gringo’s breakfast (“what you really want is tortillas and beans, but here you order ham-eggs-coffee”) and flirt with the waitress.
Back home, Roberto gets married, with his mother nearby. While Roberto hasn’t fully detached himself from a society of women, he now must adjust to the company of men.
Critical Status:
In 2003, it was re-edited and remastered with a new soundtrack by Jose “Dr. Loco” Cueller, Greg Landau, Francisco Herrera and Tomas Montoya and was re-released with a book by the University of New Mexico Press.
In 2023, the film was selected for preservation in the US National Film Registry by the Library of Congress for as being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.”
Credits
Running Time: 110 minutes
Distributor: First Run
Production: Filmhaus Productions
Director: Robert M. Young
Producers: Michael Hausman, Irwin W. Young
Screenplay: Robert M. Young
Camera Robert M. Young
Editor: Edward Beyer
Production Design: Lilly Kilvert
Release date: October 16, 1977
Cast
Roberto (Domingo Ambriz)
Joe (Trinidad Silva)
Sharon (Linda Gillin)
Roberto’s wife (Ludevina Mendez Salazar)
Roberto’s mother (Maria Guadalupe Chavez)
