Where did the idea for the film come from? Is it based on a true story?

Yes, it’s based on a true story. It happened in 2004 with a boy named Angel Palafox. He was crossing the border from Sonora to the United States with some friends. A guard shot him in a throat in the middle of a night. The bullet went through his throat and came out near the ear. He passed out and the next day he regained consciousness and walked back to the border, but his friends were never to be seen again. They just disappeared. They were not captured nor did they seem to make it to their final destination in New York. So the script for this film is based on this story.

Where was this film shot?

It was shot in a state of Mexico called Aguascalientes, which translates as Hot Water from Spanish.

At the start of the film the main characters cut their wrists. What does it symbolize?

It’s a symbol of their friendship in the journey they are about to embark on.

Does that tunnel the main characters crawl under really exist?

No, in the true story, they take the entire journey on foot. I took the image of a tunnel from another true story. Many Mexicans try to cross the border through this kind of a tunnel.

There are some crosses on the wall. Do they represent people who have died trying to cross over? Are those real?

Yes, those crosses are real. They are really there, representing people who have died. They are especially prevalent at the Tijuana border. We had to duplicate some of them for the film, but for the most part, what you see are the real markings.

How many short films have you made?

This would be my first short film.

What advice do you have for a filmmaker who is about to make a first short film?

That they should concentrate on telling stories that really mean something to them instead of just entertaining.

This film will represent Mexico. In fact, you are the very first filmmaker from Mexico to ever make it as a Manhattan Short finalist. What message do you want the world audience to take away from the film?

People should be aware that this is a very big problem for Mexico. Unbearable social conditions force many Mexicans to try to get to other countries to find a better life for themselves and for their families.

What happens to the little boy in the film?

It’s kind of an open ending because we don’t know if the United States guard will take him and help him or if he will be sent back to Mexico.

What’s next in your filmmaking plans?

I am finishing a script for a feature film at the moment.