Director: Samuel Kishi
Mexico | Drama | Spanish | 2019 | 95 Minutes
Director: Samuel Kishi
Mexico | Drama | Spanish | 2019 | 95 Minutes
Synopsis:
"Two children emigrate to the US with their mother. Their days pass in a tiny flat waiting for her to come back as they hold on to the hope of visiting Disneyworld."
Director Notes
“When I was five, my mother left my father and took me and my three-year-old brother to the US. We crossed the border on tourist visas by declaring we were going to Disneyland. My mother had neither job nor lodging, not an inkling of English, and traveled light: our possessions were just a change of clothes, a few toys, and a Fisher-Price audio recorder.
Los Lobos emerges from the hazy images of my memories in order to tell a story about childhood, uncertainty, migration, a family’s reintegration, the adaptation to new surroundings, and the meaning of home.
It was very important to me to draw on the stories and experiences of the migrant community in Albuquerque for the production of this film. I intended to paint a portrait by mixing both fictional and documentary elements, and compositing fictional characters atop actual locals, their surroundings, and the multiculturalism that has built a thriving migrant community.”
Post-Screening Discussion Questions:
1. Los lobos means ‘wolves’ in English. Where can you find wolves in this film? How many ‘‘wolves’' can you find from the film?
2. Lucia, the mother, makes several rules for Max and Leo, her two sons. What are they? Any thoughts about those rules?
3. What role does the two brothers' father play in this film?
4. Why does the camera focus on the paintings on the wall in several scenes?
5. What are the two brothers' beliefs? And what are their mother's?
6. Life is hard. What are the hopes of each of the three family members?
7. The camera pays close attention to different family members and ethnic groups. How do these characters/groups add layers to the story?