Alambrista! (1977)

In the wake of his newborn daughter's birth, a young Mexican man named Roberto finds himself leaving his homeland of Michoacan, driven by a desperate need to provide for his family. He embarks on a clandestine journey, slipping through the porous boundaries of the United States as an "alambrista" - an illegal. Thrust into the heart of California's agricultural landscape, Roberto seizes any work he can find, his hands stained by the juices of strawberries, grapes, lettuce, and cucumbers. His journey is fraught with challenges, hitchhiking across vast distances, riding on the cold steel of freight trains, and relying on the compassion of those he meets along the way. Amidst the arduous labor and uncertainty, a glimmer of hope emerges near Stockton, where a kind-hearted waitress offers him shelter, and he secures a better job at a crop-dusting company. However, Roberto's newfound stability hangs by a thread, threatened by the looming specter of immigration raids. He finds himself in a constant dance with danger, a delicate balancing act in a foreign land where the promise of hard work falls short of guaranteeing security. Will Roberto manage to maintain his equilibrium amidst this turbulent journey, or will the relentless pursuit of a better life consume him? In Alambrista!, the pursuit of the American Dream is stripped bare, revealing a deeply human story of survival, resilience, and the universal desire for a better life.

Alambrista! is a drama movie featuring Domingo Ambriz and directed by Robert M. Young.

Alambrista! is currently streaming on Criterion Channel.