Film Matters: Please tell us about your article that is being published in Film Matters.
Matthew Scipione: “Transnational Filmmaking: The Intersubjective Gaze in Desierto” is an analysis of Jonás Cuarón’s Desierto (2015). Set against the backdrop of a vast desert, the film is a suspense story about a group of Latinx migrants who are hunted by a white American gunman as they attempt to enter the United States. In my article, I examine how Cuarón’s transnational filmmaking presents the theme of national displacement by staging intersubjective camera/editing techniques that report xenophobic violence at the border. What is fascinating about the film is that it vacillates across different viewpoints that have been both physically and figuratively pushed to the margins of society. Similar to the migrants, the working-class citizen feels marginalized, alienated, and displaced. Everyone in the film belongs neither here nor there. Both the migrants and the citizen lack a sense of belonging. Through the film’s fluid audience identification, Cuarón crafts an ever-changing orientation that defies xenophobia by treating all of its subjects as equals. Desierto displays how citizen and migrant distinctions are now breaking down in the global era. As a filmmaker, Cuarón artistically uses transnational dislocation, intersubjective perception, and empathic representations to foster an all-inclusive collective consciousness.
FM: What research and/or methodologies do you incorporate in your article?
MS: I really wanted to offer a fresh take on cinema. As a result, my article takes a transnational and intersubjective analytical approach. Both of these methodologies are relatively modern in regard to film studies. However, more than anything else, what excited me the most about these two methodologies was that they transcend traditional spectatorship dichotomies. Transnationalism surpasses the autonomy of singular nations, while intersubjectivity surpasses the individuality of singular subjectivities. To me, that’s the whole point. My overall research goal was to explore how Desierto remaps our understanding of what defines a border and the Other. This broader approach is crucial because it does not limit these ideas solely to the crimes against humanity that have been happening at the Mexico-United States border. It discusses themes so large that avoid being isolated to a particular time or place. My ambition with this approach was to write something timeless. Something that would speak to power dynamics and border relations anywhere at any time. Hopefully, I accomplished that goal. We will have to wait and see. Only time will tell.
FM: Describe the original context for/when writing this article while an undergraduate student.
MS: This article was originally written as a final paper in my film criticism class. However, at the time, it was only a brief thousand-word paper with a far less in-depth analysis. It was not until I approached Dr. Jayson Baker later about pursuing an independent study on Desierto’s themes of transnationalism and intersubjectivity that it became much more. During my independent study, I expanded and refined my ideas into a full-length article.
FM: How have your personal experiences shaped and influenced your writing?
MS: Like all art, writing is the synthesis of who you are as a person. Your personal experiences will either consciously or subconsciously find their way into your writing. It is inevitable. So, this article definitely represents a lot of myself. My immigrant family background and working-class roots are certainly on display here. I find it fascinating how much of myself is exposed when I write. Being a Cuban-Italian American, the intersections of my multicultural Latin, European, and American identity are almost always being explored in my work. Writing allows me to sort out who I am and what I have to say to others.
FM: What aspects of the writing process were most challenging? Why?
MS: The most challenging part of the writing process for me was analyzing the confrontation scene between Moises (Gael García Bernal) and Sam (Jeffrey Dean Morgan). Writing about the climax was very difficult because the entire article builds up to this final analysis. All of the research I had done up to that point has to make sense and pay off in the end. It all has to relate back to the article’s overall themes and arguments. If it does not, then the entire article falls to pieces. So, a lot was riding on that final scene analysis.
FM: What do you enjoy most about your article?
MS: Tough question. This article has been such a labor of love that it is hard to choose anything in particular. But, I will say that I very much enjoy the paragraph on Gloria Anzaldúa’s Borderlands/La Frontera: The New Mestiza (1987). I adore her work. She is such a talented poet, writer, and theorist. Since I am a huge admirer of her writings, it was a real joy to discuss her groundbreaking book in my own scholarship.
FM: How has the Film Matters editorial and publication process impacted the development/evolution of your article?
MS: Undergoing the editorial and publication process has been a wonderful experience. The insightful feedback that I received certainly helped advance my article in many ways. Especially, when it comes to fixing grammatical mistakes and adjusting word choices. Overall, being a contributor for Film Matters has been a dream come true. I loved writing for this magazine because your editorial board stresses the importance of using critical thinking to scrutinize philosophical themes, controversial ideas, and topical issues.
FM: What audience do you hope to reach with your Film Matters article and/or what impact do you hope it has on the field of film studies?
MS: From a film studies perspective, I hope that this article will encourage film scholars and film students alike to look at cinema from a more global orientation. Hopefully, it opens people’s eyes to the wonders of transnationalism and intersubjectivity. It would be amazing if emerging filmmakers read my article and became inspired to creatively repurpose some of these cinematic techniques in their own projects. Moviegoers would benefit tremendously if the next generation of filmmakers tell stories about life on the margins and make movies that push film form to its limits. However, from a social sciences perspective, I hope that this article will remind readers that empathy is greater than fear. Yes, of course I want to decriminalize migration. It should be a given that I want to stop deportations, end family separations, close detention centers, abolish borders, and welcome migrants. But I am not here to criticize any particular country or advocate for any specific policy. I am thinking bigger than national politics. Instead, I want to use my message to prevent fear. This is important because fear has been weaponized to pit us against one another. What is happening now reminds me of something Angela Davis once described in a lecture she gave at the University of Costa Rica. She said that “The figure of the immigrant is an ideologically constructed scapegoat designed to deter poor and working-class people in the US from recognizing how much they have in common with people who are fleeing difficult economic circumstances. [Circumstances that are] often created by the very corporations that have left people in the US bereft of employment.” Her statement is so truthful. Too often we are taught to fear one another to distract us from the real people with a stranglehold on power. Fear-mongering has always been a powerful form of manipulation because it divides people. With this in mind, it is crucial to dismantle barriers and find common ground with others. I wholeheartedly believe that turning a blind eye toward our fellow humans and claiming that it is their fault will never solve anything. Let me say that there is no us or them. There is only us. We are all migrants of Earth. We are all victims of capital. We are all descendants of God. That’s the truth. Speaking as a man of faith, my daily prayer is that God will guide all of us to a place of solidarity, equality, and inclusivity. A borderless place where everyone can live without fear.
FM: How has your department and/or institution supported your work in film and media?
MS: Studying film at Curry College has been an amazing experience. My professors have taught me so much about both the theoretical aspects of film scholarship and the technical aspects of film production. This twofold approach has transformed how I view movies. I now see the medium of film in an entirely new light. Thanks to my professors, I am equipped to make artful films that elevate cinema and culture to new heights.
FM: How has your faculty mentor fostered your advancement as a film scholar?
MS: This article would have never been published without the mentorship of Dr. Jayson Baker. From my very first year at Curry College, he saw a potential in me that I had not yet seen myself. His faith in me has given me faith in myself and the heart to help others through my own artistic endeavors. He is an incredible mentor who has fostered my approach to writing and directing so much. It is thanks to his support that I now engage with films as important cultural artifacts.
FM: What advice do you have for undergraduate film and media scholars?
MS: Remember that writing is rewriting. Trust me, it is completely normal if your first few drafts are far from good. Do not let this discourage you. This is all a part of the writing process. Stay true to your convictions and keep on pushing forward. You will get better along the way.
FM: What are your future plans?
MS: As an emerging filmmaker, I am motivated to make culturally important films that speak truth to power. To me, it is essential to remember that films are as relevant as politics. I believe stories play a pivotal role in ongoing struggles for justice. People have always apprehended the politicized nature of the world through stories. It is through the artistry of telling stories that humanity can find the truth. More than ever, I am coming to realize that artists have the great privilege to use storytelling for truthtelling. Artists give power back to the people by speaking truthfully. Unlike cunning politicians, artists can use their art to bring the truth to light. It is one of the few professions where you do not have to bow down to governments, corporations, institutions, lobbyists, or other corrupting forces that have a say over your message. There is something very liberating about being able to create art for truth’s sake. Having creative freedom is a true blessing that can never be taken for granted. Moving forward as a filmmaker, I plan to use my artistic voice and vision to bring viewers closer to the truth.
Author Biography
Matthew Scipione is a writer and director. He earned his Bachelor of Arts at Curry College, where he majored in Communication with a concentration in Film Studies. His film scholarship has been published in Film Matters and Mise-en-scène. Furthermore, his short film King of the Imaginations premiered at IFFBoston. King of the Imaginations is currently being submitted to festivals, as he develops his forthcoming project.
