El Contrato
Directed byMin Sook Lee
Written byMin Sook Lee
Produced byKaren King-Chigbo
CinematographyDavid Patrick
John Westheuser
Edited byKatharine Asals
Music byEdgardo Moreno
Production
company
Release date
Running time
52 minutes
CountryCanada
LanguagesEnglish
Spanish

El Contrato (lit. "The Contract") is a Canadian documentary film, directed by Min Sook Lee and released in 2003.[1] The film portrays the harsh living conditions of exploited migrant workers from Mexico who are working as farm labourers in Leamington, Ontario.[2]

The film premiered at the Bloor Cinema on September 24, 2003,[3] but the farmers depicted in the film issued a SLAPP suit which delayed the film's wider release.[4] After the lawsuit was cleared, the film received further film festival screenings in 2004,[2] before being broadcast by TVOntario on January 12, 2005.[5]

Lee subsequently returned to the theme of migrant workers in her 2016 film Migrant Dreams, which centred on similar exploitation of Indonesian temporary migrant workers.[6]

Critical response

Frank Loreto of the Canadian Review of Materials wrote that "El Contrato is a hard-hitting film. A number of men are given the chance to send messages home, and it is clear that they are not happy being away. They miss their families and would much rather be home. They simply have no choice as there is no work at home and their families need the support that they are able to provide. One worker breaks into tears when he learns that his wife has delivered their baby girl prematurely. He had hoped to be home in time. Workers relate stories of abuses and mistreatment only when they are assured that their faces will not be filmed."[7]

Awards

The film was shortlisted for the Donald Brittain Award for Best Social or Political Documentary at the 20th Gemini Awards in 2005.[8]

References

  1. ↑ Christopher Hutsul, "Migrant workers suffer in Ontario; Lack of support moved filmmaker to make documentary Mexican towns also suffer as men leave for eight months". Toronto Star, September 24, 2003.
  2. 1 2 Vik Kirsch, "Migrant workers decry 'slavery'". Guelph Mercury, October 18, 2004.
  3. ↑ Jennifer Bain, "Ontario's 'invisible' workforce The hands of harvest; More than 14,000 Mexican and Caribbean labourers come here each year to tend to our farms A documentary exploring Ontario's 'invisible workforce' premieres tonight". Toronto Star, September 24, 2003.
  4. ↑ Sharon Hill, "Film angers greenhouse operators". Windsor Star, September 25, 2003.
  5. ↑ Bill Currie, "TVO film will focus on plight of Mexican farm workers". St. Catharines Standard, December 28, 2004.
  6. ↑ Jacobs, Jonas (May 1, 2016). "POV Profile: Min Sook Lee". Point of View.
  7. ↑ Fran Loreto, "El Contrato: The Contract". Canadian Review of Materials, Vol. 11, Iss. 15, (Apr 1, 2005).
  8. ↑ Alex Strachan, "Two top comedies all but snubbed by Geminis". Vancouver Sun, October 12, 2005.
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