LA JAULA DE ORO World Cinema

The dangerous migrant journey begins with few words spoken among 15-year-olds Juan, Sara and Samuel. Soon a Tzotzil Indian boy named Chauk joins the quietly desperate triumvirate to make four for the road. Setting off from their poor Guatemalan hometowns, freeloading on top of trains with like-minded strangers and traveling through lawless middle lands, the adolescents risk more than they could have imagined in pursuit of the coveted American Dream up north. This poetic thriller was inspired by true stories unfolding daily along unnamed railroad tracks, and Spanish filmmaker Diego Quemada-Diez utilizes a naturalistic approach that emphasizes the remarkable performances of his untrained actors. The young ensemble cast won a special Certain Talent Prize at the Cannes Film Festival for its remarkable performances.