As a gamer who has lived through a rollercoaster of political events, I can’t help but feel a sense of heavy-heartedness when witnessing the tragic tales unfold in Errol Morris and Jacob Soboroff’s documentary, “Separation.” The heart-wrenching account of the separation of families at the U.S.-Mexico border under the Trump administration is a stark reminder that sometimes, real life can be more brutal than any video game I’ve ever played.
At a press conference during the Venice Film Festival on Thursday, Oscar-winning documentarian Errol Morris (known for “Fog of War”) and esteemed NBC journalist Jacob Soboroff criticized the immigration policies of former U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration regarding their film “Separation.”
Morris’ film version of Soboroff’s book, sharing the same title, scrutinizes the Trump administration’s decree that forced the division of migrant families who illegally entered the U.S. via the Mexican border. Prior to Trump discontinuing this policy, approximately 5,500 families had been forcibly separated. The documentary vividly portrays these family separations as inhumane through dramatized scenes, where children were taken away from their parents and confined in detention centers. These children ranged from infants to older kids.
“Morris expressed his disbelief and moral outrage during a press conference for the film ‘Separation’ at the Venice Film Festival, where it premiered. He stated that the concept of intentionally harming children as a policy was unimaginable and simply wrong. He warned that such policies could recur, and emphasized the importance of preventing them from ever happening again.”
Soboroff pointed out that merging his journalistic work with Morris’ abilities as a filmmaker, notably in the film’s reenactment scenes – which depict a mother and son escaping to the United States, only to be cruelly separated at the border – tapped into an “emotional core” of the story that could not be achieved through a standard television news report.
“Soboroff stated that there are no recordings showing the separations occurring within the detention facilities. However, he emphasized that Errol and his team were able to convey the core feeling of the situation in a manner that resonates with people, a talent unique to Errol himself,” (paraphrased)
Although Soboroff made sure to emphasize that the film isn’t solely focused on Trump, his comments suggest a concern about the possibility of another Trump term in office. He pointed out that Trump’s actions wouldn’t have been possible without decades of bipartisan policies that aimed at deterring and punishing immigrants, which, according to him, were intentionally harmful.
Morris criticized Trump’s chosen vice president for not speaking up about the matter of separating children.
“Morris commented on JD Vance, stating that he appears to care deeply for children and families with kids, hinting that only those who are parents should be allowed to vote in the U.S. He then questioned Vance’s stance on policies that intentionally harm children, asking if such actions are acceptable or something we want to support.”
Morris emphasized the importance of releasing the documentary titled “Separation” in the U.S. prior to the upcoming election. As of now, it doesn’t have a domestic distributor yet. Morris commented, “It’s hard to predict the impact, but I hope this documentary will be released before the election with the aim that it might influence the outcome.”
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2024-08-29 14:54