brother towns / pueblos hermanos
Directed by Charles D. Thompson, Jr. and Michael Davey
Associate Director: Margaret Morales
A Project of the Center for Documentary Studies at Duke University
The documentary film Brother Towns / Pueblos Hermanos is a story of two towns linked by immigration, family, and work: Jacaltenango, a highland Maya town in Guatemala; and Jupiter, a coastal resort town where many Jacaltecos have settled in Florida.
Brother Towns chronicles a story of how and why people migrate across borders, how people make and remake their communities when they travel thousands of miles from home, and how people maintain families despite their travel. Because we are all immigrants, this is a universal human story, and a quintessential American one.
Brother Towns is also a story of local and international controversy. News of undocumented immigrants is familiar in nearly every community across the U.S., and citizens must choose how they respond. The film includes voices of those opposed to undocumented immigrants as well as advocates helping migrants who seek work and hope, whether documented or not.
A media-rich website accompanies the film and provides resources for helping to understand and address these issues responsibly. To learn more go to www.brothertowns.com.
Making Brother Towns / Pueblos Hermanos was a collaborative effort involving citizens from two very different but interlinked communities. In Jacaltenango, the film crew worked with artists, farmers, students, teachers, construction workers, two officials, storeowners, and others. In Jupiter, they worked with and interviewed people in almost every office and occupation, from day laborers picking up trash to the office of the mayor, from those working with new immigrants to those protesting their presence. The makers of this film are indebted to all of them for their cooperation and support, and will continue to work with both communities in a variety of ways as screenings, educational events, and related projects evolve.
The film also includes art and music created by indigenous musicians and artists from Jacaltenango. These artists have created works to tell their community’s history and culture, as well as stories of their migration and change through time. Brother Towns / Pueblos Hermanos wouldn’t have been possible without their cooperation. The artists were paid for their contributions and have agreed to include their work as part of their ongoing outreach to the broader world.
In February 2009, the film debuted in Jacaltenango before an audience of over 300 people at the Fiesta of Candelaria, the town’s patron saint. Screenings in the U.S. began in January 2010.
press coverage
“Brother Towns Documentary a Hit with Jupiter Viewers,” by Mike Richmond. TCPalm.