A Story Beyond Barriers and Made-up Borders

Read Time:3 Minute, 31 Second

MOVIE REVIEW
All We Carry
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Genre: Documentary
Year Released: 2024
Runtime: 1h 28m
Director(s): Cady Voge
Where To Watch: premiered at the Palm Springs International Film Festival on January 5, 2024, with additional showings on January 12 and 13; for more information, visit www.allwecarrydoc.com or follow @AllWeCarryDoc on Instagram and Facebook

RAVING REVIEW: Cady Voge's ALL WE CARRY explores human tenacity in facing the challenges that most can’t even imagine in life. This documentary, centered around a family's journey – Magdiel, Mirna, and their son Joshua – is a heartfelt journey through the complexities of immigration and asylum-seeking. Voge's fusion of personal narrative and societal observation creates a film that profoundly resonates humanly, exposing the personal stories often lost amidst political debates. With all of the recent “debates” about the border, I still can’t wrap my head around how so many can look at people as something less than them just because they are from the other side of an imaginary line in the dirt.

The film starts slow, laying the groundwork for what’s to come, but as the story unfolds, its gripping portrayal of the family’s experiences becomes more and more personal. From their perilous journey through Mexico to the unsettling uncertainties of life in U.S. detention centers, the movie is a striking mix of hardships and triumphs. Their eventual settlement in Seattle, aided by a local synagogue, symbolizes the power of community support in the face of migration challenges.

Voge’s directorial debut is impressive, bringing her journalistic background into play to infuse the film with authenticity and depth. ALL WE CARRY breaks the mold of traditional documentaries, presenting an engaging, informative, and profoundly emotional narrative. It's a film that tells a story and encourages its audience to engage with complex themes such as displacement, community support, and the nuances of immigration policy. The film's visual storytelling is particularly notable. Voge's filming style lends an authentic touch, pulling the audience into the intimate realities of the family’s life. This blend of life-changing events and daily occurrences crafts a captivating and easily relatable narrative.

I wish the film had taken a closer look at the psychological impact of these trials on the family; that would have added a much deeper, resounding core feeling to those who watch. Although it was a stretch to even think of something to put here, the film is a resounding achievement in documentary filmmaking and has a compelling message to share.

ALL WE CARRY is a vital film for contemporary times, especially in an election year when both sides are arguing about the border. It shifts the narrative from impersonal statistics and political rhetoric to the human heart of the immigration story. Voge's debut feature-length film is a powerful testament to the role of storytelling in bridging the empathy gap in complex social issues. The documentary is more than an exploration of immigration; it is a story of healing, community building, and the universal search for a place to belong.

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