At the peak of the team's exhaustion, our co-producer Bruna Epiphanio in Sao Paulo took over the supervision of the post-production processes. She put a lot of love and care in shaping Lilian's story. Sofia Machado, watched and edited the 120 hours of footage documenting the 4000 km journey. She has been indispensable in applying for film funding, coordinating the project and mentoring the team. After the caravan's journey, Annika Mayer took over the project as a producer and supported it with her energy, ambition and expertise. This film was only possible thanks to a collective based on camaraderie, empathy and a good dose of passionate naivety to overcome many difficult moments. With virtually no funding available, we worked with the conviction that Lilian's story needed to be heard. This film is a collective effort, everyone contributed far more than they had pledged in order to make it a reality. Now, human trafficking is increasing and smugglers are the only option, which women like Lilian cannot afford. The regular caravans were brought to a halt. After the US threatened Mexico with tariffs, the Mexican government began the militarization of borders and a crackdown on “illegal” migration. Especially for women travelling with children, the migrant caravans are their best chance to reach the US safely. Migrants pin their hopes on a new life in the United States, but as they journey to the North, many women are beaten, raped, and too often, killed. A toxic mix of male domination, and a lack of education and material wealth creates pressures that can only be escaped by leaving. ![]() ![]() Guatemala, where our protagonist Lilian is from, ranks third for femicides globally. Domestic violence, is a significant and often overlooked factor in the migration crisis. Women often bear the burden of violence in multiple ways. Refugees that arrive at the US-border are fleeing horrific conditions, that are in part, the results of US interventions in their homelands. The situation there is driving unprecedented levels of migration. ![]() The Northern Triangle of Central America El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras are considered some of the most dangerous places on earth. Impressed by what they saw in Tijuana and alert to the lack of in-depth coverage and simplified narratives portraying migrant caravans, the team decided to accompany Irving. ![]() After spending 6 weeks in Tijuana, the caravans’ LGBTQ+ community organizer, Irving Mondragon, suggested that the filmmakers join him and support the next caravan leaving Honduras. Their determination to realise that future was the story the filmmakers wanted to understand. For most of them, these caravans were their best opportunity for a better future. Among the migrants, the women and children arriving in Tijuana stood out. Brought together by their experiences along the caravan’s 4000km journey, their strength had been solidified by a communal desire to fight for the opportunities they had been denied. As they spoke with the migrants they were impressed by their collective strength. Whilst visiting the US-Mexican border city of Tijuana, the filmmakers Jakob Krese, Danilo do Carmo and Arne Büttner were introduced to members of a newly arrived migrant caravan.
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