Cinema Latino - Sin Nombre

Sin Nombre (meaning Nameless) is partly about the horrors of illegal immigration across the border from Mexico to the United States and partly about gang violence in Mexico, where gangs are referred to as‘maras’. Although the movie was filmed mainly in Mexico City, it is set in the city of Tapachula located to the south of the country on the border with Guatemala.

The movie focuses around members of the Mara Salvatrucha gang in the state of Chiapas and a family from Honduras who are migrating to New Jersey where they have relatives. The film starts with a young boy, given the same as Smiley, being introduced to the gang through a violent initiation. Smiley is then given the task of killing a rival gang member with the help of El Casper.

The two plots become entwined when three of the gang members arrive at the train tracks where trains are leaving with the concealed illegal immigrants. The gang rob the passengers and one attempts to rape the daughter of the Honduran family, Sayra, but he is killed by Casper. Smiley is sent back by Casper and delivers the news to the gang. The story continues to follow Sayra and her family as they travel up the country, and Casper as he is pursued by the gang.

Sin Nombre trata en parte acerca de los horrores de la inmigración ilegal a los Estados Unidos a través de la frontera de México y – por otro lado – de la violencia de las pandillas juveniles de México, conocidas como ‘maras’. Aunque la película fue filmada principalmente en la ciudad de México, sucede en la ciudad de Tapachula, ubicada al sur del país, en la frontera con Guatemala.

La película gira en torno a los miembros de la Mara Salvatrucha en el estado de Chiapas, y de una familia de Honduras que está emigrando a Nueva Jersey donde tienen familiares. Todo comienza cuando un chico joven – Smiley – se integra a la pandilla, pasando por una iniciación violenta. A Smiley se le asigna la tarea de matar a un miembro de una pandilla rival con la ayuda de El Casper.

Las dos historias se mezclan cuando tres de los miembros de la pandilla llegan a las vías del tren, lugar de donde los trenes parten con inmigrantes ilegales escondidos. La pandilla les roba a los pasajeros y uno de ellos intenta violar a Sayra, la hija de la familia hondureña, pero Casper lo asesina. Casper envía a Smiley a la pandilla para que leslleve las noticias. La historia sigue a Sayra y a su familia en su viaje por el país, y a Casper a quien lo persigue la pandilla.

SPANISH LESSON

“…las pandillas juveniles de México, conocidas como ‘maras'”. (“the Mexican gangs, known as ‘maras’…”) The word ‘mara’ is the Central American and Mexican equivalent to “gang” in English (“pandilla” in Spanish). Mara Salvatrucha as well as other Maras were born in Los Angeles (USA), consisting of a group of young Latinos. Later these gangs spread to Central America and then to Mexico.

The members of the maras, or ‘mareros’ distinguish themselves by tattoos covering their body, as well as the use of a sign language. They are notorious for their use of violence.

Example: (‘Los chicos de la mara asesinaron al conductor del autobús”.) The kids of the gang killed the bus driver.

Cinema Latino – Sin Nombre

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