All of Me (Llévate Mis Amores)

All of Me (Llévate Mis Amores) 

In the film Llévate Mis Amores, we are introduced to the Las Patronas, a group of Mexican women who live in Veracruz state and are known as Las Patronas. Although they lack possessions, they are rich in love and humanity. Despite their modest resources, they strive to help people with even less. Food and water have been provided to Central American migrants travelling by freight trains through Mexico into the U.S. since 1995. People call these trains La Bestia (the Beast), or the Train of Death, in recognition that many people can die if they fall off them. Globalization and the bad economy have caused these migrants to flee. There is not enough work in their home countries, and they cannot travel by passenger rail because the Mexican railroads were privatized in the 90s. Many train passengers ride in boxcars, but others hang from roofs or even hang precariously between cars. Some trains carry as many as 800 passengers. On this journey, you will encounter crooked police, thieves, kidnappers, human traffickers and extortionists in addition to the train. 

In this documentary film, we watch women's stories in La Patrona, a Mexican village near a train station used by Central American migrants to travel North to the U.S. Despite the dangers, the migrants struggle through hunger, thirst, fatigue, and encounters with corrupt police officers, drug cartels, and human traffickers. This intimate account of a tender and almost invisible phenomenon affirms the human kindness that one may feel for total strangers as they rush along on a fast-moving train to an unknown destiny honours the dedication of "Las Patronas," a group of Mexican women who have provided food, drink and care to migrants travelling northward on the freight train "La Bestia" (All of Me - Llévate Mis Amores). (The Beast). On a train hurtling along to an unknown destination, immigrants are thrust into an intimate glimpse of an almost invisible phenomenon. This story affirms the kindness we might feel toward total strangers. 

All Of Me (Llévate Mis Amores) was originally a tale of community radio talked about a group of women in La Patrona, a village in central Mexico. Two million Mexican immigrants are estimated to cross the U.S. border each year. Since 1995, the village's women have been trying to feed the hundreds of stowaways on board the freight train known as 'The Beast,' which is important to the dangerous route taken by many of the migrants. As such, migrants rely on them for survival. 

As part of the “Patrona” system, the women - known as 'Las Patronas' (the bosses) - themselves live relatively poor lives due to low wages and a lack of employment opportunities (All of Me - Llévate Mis Amores). The mothers, who have all had their own potential curtailed by circumstances beyond their control and who are all hoping for better for their children, know all too well why migrants take the risk they do. In a series of in situ interviews, director Arturo González Villasenor asks women to share the stories they have talked about in their lives, creating portraits of female resilience (the absence of men is a frequent factor in the lives of many of the women) in the face of hardship and tragedy. Despite their humbleness, both their actions and the film itself are infused with warmth and sincerity; these are admirable women with tenacity and heartfelt empathy for the passing of those who pass through their village.  

The situation is extremely dangerous for everyone involved. There are several stories within the film of Las Patronas dealing with the aftermath of people falling off the train and risking death or mutilation on a high-speed train with little safety - falling asleep can be fatal. 

In addition, there is a risk of injury to the women when they are pulled toward the train or when scores of people jump off the train at the same time to ensure they get a share of the supplies (some of the accidents have happened when those people attempted to get back on the moving train). 

In addition, there is a risk of injury to the women when they are pulled toward the train or when scores of people jump off the train at the same time to ensure they get a share of the supplies (some of the accidents have happened when those people attempted to get back on the moving train). Las Patronas became aware of their legal status through the course of investigating their situation and have since become advocates for migrants. While the women observe the legalities, they insist that the authorities should treat everyone with respect. 

Conclusively, in exchange for food and clothing donations from the local community, Las Patronas deserves credit and responsibility for what they have accomplished. Moreover, the positive impact their actions have had on hundreds of strangers has reciprocated into a sense of self-fulfilment in their lives - many people have received a boost in confidence and a sense of self-fulfilment from knowing that their actions matter. González Villasenor provides a rich tribute to these women in All of Me by giving them a voice and an important narrative. 

Work Cited

“All of Me - Llévate Mis Amores (2016).” 

Tubi, 1 Jan. 2016, https://tubitv.com/movies/553247/all-of-me-ll-vate-mis-amores.