Every day, dozens of decommissioned school buses leave the United States and migrate through Mexico to Guatemala, where they are repaired, repainted, and reborn as the brightly colored camionetas that bring most Guatemalans to work. Kendall’s lyrical film follows the migration of one Pennsylvania bus as well as the personal stories of five individuals whose lives become intertwined with its transformation. Like the bus that unites their stories, the choice between obsolescence and innovation defines their decisions, propelling them toward an increasingly uncertain future in a country where civil institutions and authorities are powerless to protect citizens from organized crime. What slowly emerges is a vivid and rich meditation on the universal quest for mobility—and survival. “An upbeat story of resilience, regeneration, and artistic imagination.”—Stephen Holden, The New York Times. (81 mins.)
LA CAMIONETA: THE JOURNEY OF ONE AMERICAN SCHOOL BUS screens Saturday, January 11 at 5pm and 7pm in our Whitsell Auditorium (located in the Portland Art Museum).
Advanced tickets are available for purchase here.
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