The documentary “Children Behind the Wall” exposes the Child Drug Epidemic Engulfing U . S . /Mexico Border town
Directed and produced by filmmaker Marisol González, the 52-minute film premiered to rave reviews on October 16 at the Awareness Film Festival in Los Angeles, and was well received when it was officially released last December a private screening sponsored by Alianza at HBO’s New York headquarters.
The film Children Behind The Wall unfolds along the United States/Mexico border, sensitively documenting a series of heartbreaking interviews with children caught in a vicious drug addiction cycle. It is set in the legendary Mexican border town of Tijuana, which has a reputation for its seedy bars, prostitution, and powerful drug cartels, lending itself to all sorts of illegal trafficking.
“Children Behind the Wall” illuminates so many larger issues and forces anyone who sees it, to have a better understanding of the catastrophic results of drugs and poverty.”
When families from all over Latin America fail to cross the border, many are forced to stay there with little prospects. All too frequently parents turn to drugs and eventually abandon their children, leaving them forced to fend for themselves on the streets. Most of these children fall victim to the unforgiving cycle of drug dependency, leading to prostitution and violence.
Children Behind The Wall explores the complexity of this situation through first-hand stories told by some of these children who strive to liberate themselves from addiction.
The film marks the first feature-length project for Marisol González, who is excited to now debut her 9-year pursuit.
I’ve made it my mission to bring awareness about the harms of drugs from the perspective of children fending for themselves. We need to be compassionate and understand that people who use drugs are not monsters; they are our children, our parents, our cousins, our best friends. We all need to work together to find solutions.
Marisol is a Dominican journalist and producer who lives in New York and currently works for HBO. Always dedicated to helping others, González earned Siempre Mujer Magazine’s ‘Always Inspiring’ honor for her hands-on commitment to important causes in the Hispanic community, and in 2011 was presented the ‘Proclamation Award’ by New York State Senator Jose Peralta for her outstanding service to the Latino community.
After more than 19 years working in production for the main Latino broadcast channels in New York City to much recognition from her peers, she is determined to raise awareness about the drug epidemic among Latino youth.
Children Behind The Wall will be screened on Friday, January 27th, at Festival de Cine Global Dominicano in the Dominican Republic and also during the Queens World Film Festival, in New York.
For more about CHILDREN BEHIND THE WALL visit: http://childrenbw.com
