Identifying Features 2021

Jesus, a young boy from a struggling region in Guanajuato, is persuaded by his friend Rigo to venture out of their rural life and attempt to cross the border into the United States. This decision leaves his mother, Magdalena, behind, heartbroken and alone. After months without any word from her son, Magdalena, along with Rigo’s mother, Chuya, decides to approach the authorities, concerned for their sons’ safety. The police present them with chilling photographs of recently deceased immigrants that remain unidentified. Tragically, Chuya identifies Rigo among the victims, while Magdalena’s hopes flicker as she fails to spot Jesus in the photos. Fueled by a sense of determination and inspired by Chuya’s uplifting remarks during Rigo’s funeral, Magdalena embarks on a resolute journey northward to find her son.

Upon arriving at a government facility where victims of drug-related violence are kept, she undergoes a blood test to match with the unidentified bodies. While no matches are discovered, her heart races when she recognizes Jesus’s backpack among the personal belongings of the deceased. A government official advises her, insisting on the grim reality that many bodies are too burned to identify, but he tries to dissuade her hopes by asserting her son’s demise based on the identified evidence. He hands her forms to officially declare her son dead, but before she signs, she encounters Olivia, a mother seeking to identify her missing son, Diego. Olivia, who had lost hope after four years, is confronted with the harsh truth that Diego perished recently, proving he was alive during much of his disappearance. Inspired by Olivia’s resilience, Magdalena resolves not to give up her search for Jesus.

At a migrant shelter, she learns from La Regis about a horrific bus ambush where most passengers were killed. Among the few survivors is Alberto Mateo, an elderly man residing at the shelter. Eager to hear Alberto’s firsthand account, Magdalena seeks guidance to find him, discovering that he lives in a nearby community named Ocampo, adjacent to the U.S. border.

Arriving in Ocampo, Magdalena is confronted with a grim reality; armed drug lords have taken over, leaving devastation in their wake. Here, she meets Miguel, a teenager recently deported from the U.S., who is back in search of his mother. As they explore, they realize the town has suffered immense losses, and Miguel’s god-father urges him to leave, insisting that “there’s no one left.” Stricken by despair over his mother’s fate, Miguel cannot accompany Magdalena further, and she resumes her search alone. Eventually, she is led by canoe to Alberto’s secluded home.

Alberto recounts the terror of the bus attack, revealing that all passengers, including Rigo and her son Jesus, were taken to a bonfire where a malevolent force claimed their lives. Heartbroken, she returns to Ocampo, attempting to coax Miguel into leaving with her. Just as he considers, armed men arrive in a truck, forcing them into a desperate escape. Tragically, Miguel is shot dead during their flight, and Magdalena is also cornered. To her shock, she discovers that the man who recognizes her is none other than her son, Jesus. He confesses the horrific truth—that he was coerced into killing Rigo and has been drawn into a life of violence he cannot escape. In an emotional farewell, he implores her to remain hidden while he vanishes with the armed group.

The following day, a heartbroken Magdalena takes Miguel’s lifeless body to authorities. The story closes with a haunting image of a devilish figure rising from the remnants of the bonfire, leaving the viewer with a chilling sense of unresolved despair.