A Better Life

(Chris Weitz, US 2011, 98 min., 35mm)

Labor Film Series. Set in contemporary East Los Angeles, this film, whose plot partially parallels that of Bicycle Thieves, sympathetically depicts experiences of undocumented Mexican immigrants, including manual labor, schools, gangs, family, ICE, and deportation. Mexican-American actor Demián Bichir received an Oscar nomination for his moving portrayal of a father who risks everything to make una vida mejor for his son.

Preceded by The Job (Jonathan Browning, US 2007, 35mm/DCP, 4 min.), a satirical short poking fun at a hot-button political issue.