Editor’s Note
Represent Justice Journalism Project: SANSÓN AND ME, directed by Rodrigo Reyes, premiered at the 2022 Tribeca Film Festival and subsequently won best film award at the Sheffield Doc/Fest June 23-28, 2022. The film is a portrait of a young man, Sansón Noe Andrade, serving a life sentence in prison; he was sentenced when he was just 19. The film raises essential questions about ethnic communities and those of color impacted by incarceration and the treatment of undocumented immigrants. It also raises questions about ethics and consent in storytelling as well as other matters and issues of significant importance.
The editor for this publication is an assistant journalism professor who believed students enrolled in one of his advanced journalism reporting classes could benefit from writing opinion pieces to be published about issues raised in this film and at the very least what touched them – thus the project.
Danielle Kirakos Writes
In his film, Mexican American Director Rodrigo Reyes tackles several pressing issues and themes, including immigration, unfair treatment of undocumented immigrants and mass incarceration. He addressed, critically, these matters and others through his story of a young undocumented immigrant, Sansón Noe Andrade, who innocently got caught up in gang violence murder incident and was sentenced to life in prison. According to evidence, the gang murder was actually committed by his brother in law.
Director Rodrigo Reyes. Picture by Jennifer Durán
The film is an extraordinarily layered examination of how destitution, misdirected family affection, bad timing and other things made the immigrant struggle especially trying and challenging for one individual as it also reflected on the similar experiences of other undocumented immigrants residing, living in America.
The immigration issue in the United States generates a cacophony of news media headlines.
Sansón Noe Andrade and Reyes exchanged several letters and Sansón penned his opposition to gangs both outside and inside prison where he is incarcerated.
Was Director Reyes trying to perk audience interest and perhaps its sympathy and empathy regarding how the main character in his documentary got involved in his predicament? I was infuriated by what happened to Sansón. This may be one of Rodrigo’s intentions, that is, how much information audiences may need to be provided to be sympathetic to Reyes’ principal character.
Regardless, there are moments in the movie that provide an alternate perspective for the viewers. However, uneasiness eventually turns to anger, and the director seems to make the argument that a horrific yet fairly common injustice occurred here.
In one scene, the young Sansón looks at his grandmother’s house. The view cuts to what he’s staring at, and it’s clear that it’s his actual grandmother’s house in the present day. At times, Rodrigo discusses with the actors their roles and their comments on the documentary story being produced and that adds an additional layer to how one’s life can be interpreted.
A biography is more than just a retelling and recollecting of events and decisions. Relationships, friendships, and conflicts with the people we love, hate, and respect most certainly are in that time. SANSÓN AND ME portrays those elements well. Sansón never speaks to the audience. We don’t see any shots of him, yet, his voice is present throughout the film.
Some social-justice documentaries attempt to prove the innocence of their subjects and urge for their freedom. This is not happening here as Rodrigo informs Sansón. The director wants to convey Sansón’s narrative to avoid the record of the injustice from being lost.
The film makes me ask myself how many individuals have been in the undocumented Sansón’s situation and wound up with painful consequences if not life prison sentences or death row? Is there a key to starting a process to reform?
I believe that change must come from inside. We must look at our community and ask what we are doing to care for our children, rather than waiting until they end up in court. Is a courtroom setting the ideal location for bringing about change?
Link to the complete SANSÓN project.
Danielle Kiriakos can be reached at danielle.kiriakos92@myhunter.cuny.edu