Drama | Directed by Fernanda Valadez | 2020 | Mexico/Spain | Spanish with English subtitles | 94 min.
Grappling with the painful and real issue of immigrants disappearing on their way to the U.S., Identifying Features, takes us with middle-aged Magdalena as she searches for news of her son who not been heard from since setting out for the border to the U.S., hopeful to find work. Desperate to find out what happened to him—and to know whether or not he’s even alive—she embarks on an ever-expanding and increasingly dangerous journey to discover the truth. At the same time, a young man named Miguel has returned to Mexico after being deported from the U.S., and eventually his path converges with Magdalena’s. These simple and urgent stories create a suspenseful slow burn, equally constructed of moments of beauty and horror, and which leads to a startling, shattering conclusion. Winner of the World Cinema Dramatic Audience and Screenplay Awards at the Sundance Film Festival.
“On every level, this is impressively accomplished cinema.” Wendy Ide, Screen Daily
This film is co-presented by the Boston Latino International Film Festival