La Tragedia de Mercado (The Tragedy of Mercado)

La Tragedia de Mercado is a Mexican film directed by Pablo Veliz. It is a meaingful film based on the story of one of the worst immigrant tragedies in history. La Tragedia de Mercado translates to Mercado’s Tragedy and is a non-rated film produced by Amigo Films and is not-rated. The film was first released on September 19, 2006. La Tragedia de Mercado was inspired by the 2003 events in Victoria, Texas, these events display a pathetic tragedy in which nineteen illegal immigrants died in a similar fashion as a man named Macario. The movie opens in Macario’s native town of Sabinas Hidalgo, Mexico. Macario is very poor and does not live a comfortable life. His dream is to one day create a better life with more opportunities for himself and his loving girlfriend. The two of them live in a small apartment and eat the same dinner every night, beans with tortillas.

The Alamo Mission in San Antonio located at 29.425...

FELIPE

Valero HQ, San Antonio, Texas

This is simply all that they can afford. Unfortunately, Macario is fired from his job and would take advantage of any opportunity possible. He receives a letter from his brother in San Antonio, Texas. Macario is surprised to learn how well he is doing on a farm in the United States. Macario’s brother says that there are plenty of jobs in San Antonio up for grabs. Macario’s brother influences him to illegally cross the border to move in with him and work on the same farm. His brother sends him money to help him cross the border into the United States. So after talking with his girlfriend, and his friend Felipe, Macario and his buddy decide to make a run for the border. Macario’s girlfriend approves of him to leave, but she is far from enthusiastic because she knows the dangers possible. Macario gathers enough money to pay someone to run him across the border in a cargo trailer. This seems too good to be true, especially when you read the film’s title, and unfortunately it is. Unfortunately for Macario and his friend Felipe, tragedy comes over them. Their smuggler abandons them at once. Quickly they realize that they are running out of air in the cargo trailer. So they make a run for the door, but the door is locked. Macario and Felipe suffocate and their lives end there.

This movie will become a favorite of mine. I learned some valuable lessons. This movie showed me how difficult some people’s lives truly are and they would go beyond desperate measures to reach their goals. Seeing Macario’s lifestyle made me appreciate what I have now and will hopefully have in the future. It really hit me when I saw how hard Macario had to work just to put food on the table for himself and his wife and afford a place to live. I realized that not everyone has it made and no one should take anything for granted. I realized how hard some people have to work, just to get by in life. When Macario was attempting to cross the border, I noticed his determination to get to the United States. It made me think of how desperate people are to illegally get into America. It showed me how people are willing to give up their home, leave their family, and even risk their life to enter the United States for a better life.

Some cultural observations I noticed during the movie were how family-orientated Mexicans are. Much more than the people in the United States. Felipe wanted to find a job in America so he could afford a doctor for his sick daughter. This movie showed me how the poor people in Mexico actually live and some of their customs, including their foods and music.

“La frontera“, border“Tragedia”, tragedy“Immigrante”, immigrantdictionary.com

Felipe

Erminio Macario

English: Macario Sacay