Juarez - City of Dreams

I travelled with filmmaker Alex Tweedle to Ciudad Juárez on the Mexican side of the US border, directly across the Rio Grande from El Paso in the United States. Together the two cities form one of the largest and most complex border regions in the world.

At the time of filming, Juárez was widely regarded as one of the most dangerous cities in the Americas. In 2008 alone more than 1,300 people were killed as rival cartels fought for control of narcotics routes flowing into the United States. Historically known as El Paso del Norte — “The Northern Pass” — the city has long been a gateway for migration, trade and smuggling. At its height the Juárez Cartel controlled a significant share of drugs entering the US.

Our film focused on the human stories behind the headlines — particularly the legacy of violence against women that brought international attention to the city in the 1990s. Through conversations with residents and activists, we explored how decades of instability had shaped daily life.

The visual contrast across the river was striking: prosperous Texas overlooking the sprawling neighbourhoods of Juárez. That contrast became the backdrop to the stories we encountered.

After completion, the film was donated to the Women’s Crisis Centre in Juárez, where it has been used to raise awareness of crimes against women and screened internationally to highlight the realities faced by the city’s inhabitants.