Año Nuevo (1981)

Overview

Emmy-winning documentary by a UCLA student concerning undocumented Mexican workers' struggle on a flower farm in Northern California. The documentary traces the worker's struggle at Año Nuevo flower farm, who were denied proper housing, denied pay, and extorted by the flower farm owner, and their attempt to bring a civil lawsuit against him. Footage includes interviews with dozens of Año Nuevo workers and main organizers, lawyers representing the group, local and state employees, and the owner of Año Nuevo farm. The documentary weaves in a history of Mexican immigration to the U.S., the struggles associated with crossing the border, the economic history of Mexico, and the crisis of transnational production in Mexico, displacing access to food staples. Following the bureaucratic state involvement with Año Nuevo Housing department and wage violations, workers organized from 1977-1979 to bring civil suit against their employer.