POV Season 21 Episode 14 Calavera Highway

Calavera Highway is the 14th episode of season 21 of POV, a documentary series which showcases non-fiction films exploring important social issues and contemporary life from diverse perspectives. This episode, directed by Renee Tajima-Peña, is a powerful exploration of the immigrant experience in America, and the journeys and struggles of a multicultural family from Mexico and the United States.

The film follows the story of the Arellano family, who are on a road trip from their home in California to bury their patriarch, and the family's elder statesman, Jesús, in his home village of La Junta, Mexico. Along the way, the family comes face-to-face with their past, as they revisit memories of growing up, share laughter and tears, and confront the harsh realities of the immigrant experience in America.

The film provides a unique window into the daily challenges and lived experiences of working-class families from different cultural backgrounds, and the ways in which they find strength and resilience in their shared commitment to family, faith, and community. From disagreements about the best route to take to La Junta, to reflections on the cultural differences between Mexico and the United States, Calavera Highway captures the tensions and complexities of life in a changing world.

At its core, this episode of POV is about the ways in which we define and understand ourselves in relation to our families and communities, and how our identities are shaped by our experiences of race, class, and culture. Whether we are born in the United States or in another country, whether we identify as Mexican-American or as hyphenated Americans, the stories of the Arellano family resonate with audiences because they are stories of struggle, sacrifice, and survival that are familiar to millions of people across the United States.

As the journey continues, viewers are introduced to the many characters who inhabit the family's world, including Jesús' daughter Roberta, who is grappling with the legacy of her father's drinking and his difficult relationship with her mother, and the family's youngest member, Miguel, who is discovering the joys and challenges of growing up in a world where he is both Mexican and American.

Throughout the film, the family is forced to confront the difficult questions that arise when we try to reconcile our personal histories with our collective heritage. As they drive across the border into Mexico, they are met with suspicion and hostility from Mexican border control agents, who question their identity and their motives for returning to La Junta.

These tensions are mirrored in the family's own struggles with their identity and their place in the world. For some members of the family, the journey to La Junta is seen as a homecoming, a chance to reconnect with their roots and their culture. But for others, it is a journey into the unknown, a reminder of the many obstacles that they have faced and the many uncertainties that lie ahead.

Ultimately, Calavera Highway is a powerful reminder of the importance of family and community in shaping our identity and our sense of belonging in the world. Whether we are immigrants, refugees, or hyphenated Americans, we are all part of a larger story, a story that is defined by our shared experiences of struggle, love, and hope. This episode of POV is a must-watch for anyone who is interested in exploring the rich diversity of the American experience, and the challenges and opportunities that come with living in a multicultural society.