![\"Jose](\"https:\/\/www.pbs.org\/independentlens\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/jose-classroom-salinas-1024x576.jpg\")
\nEast of Salinas\u00a0<\/em>brings us into California’s “Steinbeck Country” to meet Jose, a bright young student who tries to remain optimistic about his future despite\u00a0being the undocumented son of migrant farmworkers. Jose [who spells his name without accent mark] is helped greatly by his caring teacher Oscar,\u00a0once a migrant farm kid himself.<\/p>\n Pacheco and Mow\u00a0spoke to us about making this film, and as a bonus they\u00a0returned to Salinas to film an update with both Jose and Oscar [which we put together in a separate post<\/a>].<\/p>\n Why did you want to make this film? <\/b>And how did you first find and connect with Jose and his teacher Oscar, specifically? <\/b><\/p>\n Laura:\u00a0<\/strong>A few years ago I read an article in The New York Times<\/em><\/a> that talked about the challenges of teaching migrant kids in America. I couldn\u2019t sleep after I read the article. I had thought a lot of farmworkers,<\/span> but never about realities of farmworkers who are also parents. The article really touched me. It profiled Oscar Ramos and the work he does with migrant students at Sherwood Elementary [in Salinas]. This story combines so many important issues of today \u2013immigration, education and food justice.<\/span><\/p>\n I called up Oscar and talked to him about making a documentary. When we found Oscar and his student Jose, we knew we had a great story. Jose\u2019s gives us a youthful perspective to the questions: what is the impact of America\u2019s immigration laws and farming practices on children?<\/span><\/p>\n Once we met Jose and his family, we knew we had a story that would speak to a larger audience. His family was very open with us about their situation, their struggles, their hopes for the future. And we just fell in love with Jose. He\u2019s such an amazing kid.<\/span><\/p>\n Jackie:\u00a0<\/strong>Laura and I are always looking for a good stories to make a film about. \u00a0One day she showed me [the NYT<\/em> article].\u00a0 Oscar would lose students for several months. When they returned, he had to catch them up. However, when we met Oscar, this was [no longer]\u00a0the case. His school had worked very hard to convince families not to move the kids. Today, generally the fathers go to Arizona and the mother and kids stay behind. But this also created all kinds of \u00a0other problems for families. This meant that during the months that the father was away, they had to live on one income and pay two apartments, one in Salinas and one Arizona. And as we see in the film, this is the life that Jose experiences. Oscar had introduced us to three families, but we felt it was stronger to tell the story through the eyes of one person. And once we met Jose, we knew we had a story. It is hard not to connect with him, he is the most positive person I know. He is always thankful for our visits. He once said to us, “I try to stay positive because if you only see the bad things in life, you don\u2019t see the good things.”<\/p>\n And how\u00a0did you gain the trust of Oscar, Jose and his family?<\/b><\/p>\n Laura:<\/strong> We spent a lot of time earning the trust of our characters. Undocumented communities are careful about who they speak with \u2014 filmmakers and journalists are typically not high on their list. Oscar Ramos, the teacher in our film, introduced us to a few migrant families. When we found Jose and his family, we knew they would be great characters in the film. We spent many weeks talking with them, listening to their stories, and gaining their trust. I think because we were willing to spend time without, without video cameras, becoming friends first, they began to trust us. That is what allowed us the access into their lives.<\/span><\/p>\n Filmmakers Laura Pacheco and Jackie Mow (l-r).<\/p><\/div>\n In researching and shooting <\/b>East of Salinas<\/i><\/b>, what surprised you the most about what you learned?<\/b><\/p>\n Laura:\u00a0<\/strong>I think one of the things that surprised us the most <\/span>\u2014 <\/span>was just how hard-working migrant families are. These are families who literally work from sun-up to sun- down seven days a week. Their hands pick a lot of the food that feeds America. And yet, they live with so many insecurities. It\u2019s heartbreaking. The other thing that surprised us was all the stereotypes surrounding migrant kids \u2013 that they aren\u2019t smart, that they can\u2019t achieve, that their parents don\u2019t care. There is nothing further from the truth. The only thing migrant parents want for their children is that they continue their education and don\u2019t end up in the fields. Jose, like all the kids Oscar teaches want a better life for themselves and their families. They are smart, dedicated, and they try really hard.<\/span><\/p>\n Jackie: <\/strong>It surprised us how hard this family works and yet it is so difficult for them to make ends meet. During the growing season, they are working 10-12 hours a day, 6 days a week. It is always a struggle. But\u00a0Jose\u2019s family is also very resilient. The kids are never unhappy about how they live \u2014 that is just their life. They are very adaptable.<\/p>\n And what were some of the biggest challenges you faced in making the film? <\/b><\/p>\n Laura:\u00a0<\/strong>Migrant families are always moving \u2014 they work in different locations weekly, they change homes and schools often, and even move cities. One of our biggest challenge was trying to find people when we had scheduled to film them. Often Jose\u2019s parents would have to work on their days off (when we\u2019d scheduled an interview) or they would leave to work in a far away city for a few days and simply not be there when we came to film. We\u2019d get permission to film in one school and then Jose would switch schools. We were travelling from the East Coast \u2013 and no matter how much planning we did beforehand, we had to be flexible. We had a plan B, C D, and E! The upside is it allowed us to spend a lot of time getting to know Salinas and with Oscar and Jose without a set shooting schedule.<\/span><\/p>\n Jackie:<\/strong> In addition to what Laura said, we also found ourselves filming the kids just sitting around a lot<\/span>! How do you make that look interesting to viewers? I felt those scenes that we shot of him riding his skateboard in the tiny living room or just sitting around watching television or looking at his Pokemon cards said a lot about the way they lived. And editing multiple scenes like that gives you a sense of being trapped inside. We didn\u2019t quite know where we were going with all those scenes, but in the end I felt it was powerful to see that. The other big challenge for us was to leave them after every shoot. We would buy them food or clothing before we left, but then after a few weeks we were always wondering if they were okay. Laura and I became very close to them and that continues to be the case today. The difference now is that we are able to communicate with them more easily so if they have any problems, they can get a hold of us or Oscar. We often write to Jose to check in.<\/p>\n What part of the film especially moved or resonated with you?<\/b><\/p>\n Laura:\u00a0<\/strong>There are two scenes that really touch me in the film. The first is the repetitive scenes of Jose and his siblings alone in their apartment staring at the television with nothing to do and no access to go outside and play. <\/span>Salinas is the youth homicide capital in the country<\/span><\/a>. It is incredibly violent and Jose\u2019s parents don\u2019t want the kids to go outside. Their parents work from sun up to sundown, often seven days a week. So Jose is never allowed to go outside. They sit in their house every day after school and all days on the weekends, watching TV because there is nothing else to do. <\/span><\/p>\n When Jose\u2019s siblings go to Mexico and he is left alone, it\u2019s heartbreaking. Now, he doesn\u2019t have anyone to talk with all day. The other scene I love is the Christmas scene. When Oscar and his friends deliver surprise Christmas presents to migrant families in Salinas <\/span>\u2014 <\/span>it\u2019s beautiful. The parents were so grateful, to be able to see their children receiving a gift for the holiday. It was so sweet.<\/span><\/p>\n![\"East](\"https:\/\/www.pbs.org\/independentlens\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/jackie-and-laura-salinas-1024x576.jpg\")