Sin Nombre (2009)

A Honduran young girl and a Mexican gangster are united in a journey across the American border.

Director:

Cary Joji Fukunaga (as Cary Jôji Fukunaga)

Writer:

Cary Joji Fukunaga

Stars:

Paulina Gaitan, Marco Antonio Aguirre, Leonardo Alonso

14 wins & 18 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Marco Antonio Aguirre	...	Big Lips
Leonardo Alonso	...	Policía Judicial
Karla Cecilia Alvarado	...	Marera
Juan Pablo Arias Barrón	...	Niño #3
Rosalba Belén Barrón	...	Niño #2
Felipe Castro	...	Marero (as Sixto Felipe Castro)
Rosalba Quintana Cruz	...	Tierra Blanca Mujer
Marcela Feregrino	...	Kimberly
Kristyan Ferrer	...	El Smiley (as Kristian Ferrer)
Edgar Flores	...	Willy 'El Casper'
Giovani Florido	...	El Sipe (as Giovanni Florido)
Paulina Gaitan	...	Sayra
Ariel Galvan	...	Migrante #1
Diana García	...	Martha Marlene
Gabriela Garibaldi	...	Diana

Storyline

Honduran teenager Sayra reunites with her father, an opportunity for her to potentially realize her dream of a life in the U.S. Moving to Mexico is the first step in a fateful journey of unexpected events.

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Plot Keywords:

attempted rape | mexico guatemala border | border | girl | railway station | 

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Taglines:

The greatest sin of all is risking nothing.

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Genres:

Adventure | Crime | Drama | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for violence, language and some sexual content

Details

Official Sites:

Official site [France] Official site [Japan]

Country:

Mexico USA

Language:

Spanish

Release Date:

17 April 2009 (USA)

Also Known As:

Sin Nombre

Filming Locations:

Torreón, Coahuíla, Mexico

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$81,446, 22 March 2009, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$2,534,351, 12 July 2009

Company Credits

Production Co:

Scion Films, Canana Films, Creando Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

96 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Cary Fukunaga spent two years researching the film, spending time with people on the trains and with gangsters in Central America. He also used two gang members to script edit making the slang and language as up to date and realistic as possible.

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Goofs

The teardrop tattoo on el Casper's right eye is missing in two consecutive scenes on the top of the train but is visible on his face throughout the movie both before and after these scenes on the train. Interestingly, the tattoo is an important identifying mark/symbol in the movie and is specifically highlighted by gang members when asking locals if they have seen Casper as they try to find him and hunt him down.

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Quotes

Sayra: Back home, my friend Clarissa made me see this crazy neighbor, Doña Eleanor, you know, like witchcraft? She smoked this puro, then told me with her freaky voice that I'd make it to the U.S. but not in God's hand, perhaps in the Devil's.

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Connections

Featured in WatchMojo: Top 10 Hood Movies (2014)

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Soundtracks

Déjate Caer
Written by Eduardo Dávalos De Luna, Román Leonardo Rodríguez López, Alan Alejandro Maldonado Támez,
30 M. Cárdenas
Performed by Cartel de Santa
Courtesy of Sony BMG Music Entertainment (México), S.A. de C.V.

User Reviews

An Epic and Marvelous First Film

I saw this beautifully crafted new film at Sundance and was completely entranced. The cinematography and design is astounding. The new faces and local actors give everything for the project. The writer/director did an extensive amount of research including riding on the tops of trains with immigrants crossing Mexico, and spending time with MS gang members. And indeed the film is full of all kinds of personal, empirical moments that reach up and contrast the violence and epic quality of the piece. Ultimately the film has a very classical quality that evokes an "Odyssey" kind of timelessness. Everyone should go see this in the theatres the moment it comes out. Great, great first film.