Blog 19; CAT-W/Sleep Dealer Injects Sci-Fi into Immigration Debate

Sleep Dealer is an extraordinary film that tells the story, in the near future, of a young Mexican guy named Memo, who grew up attached to a homemade radio that was intercepted by U.S. military commanders. His father like others Mexican villagers were forced to buy water from mechanical robot on their own river that now belongs to The United States. Memo Flied to Tijuana looking for job in cyberfactories. He got nodes all over his body to become a remote worker, someone who works for The United States but doesn't receive the benefits he is supposed to.

The movie is the perspective of Alex Rivera, who wanted to recreate a film about the future in a third world country, involving the discussed immigration story. At a certain point, the world resembles more connected than ever but, unfortunately, that’s not the truth. We can see in the movie a border dividing the dream of hard-working people who deserve a better situation.

Sleep Dealer is an attempt to use science fiction to describe how would be future of third world people. Future where not just human-machines are connected but human-human interface.  Due to technology, Americans already have closed the border and still have the capacity of constructing buildings, picking up their fruits, taking care of their children without any of the immigrants in their territory. However, the culture doesn't change; we still see the differences, poverty, abuse and exploitation.


This is the story that never ends, the dominants taking advantage of the minority. Industrial Technology is constantly changing the aspects of society making the relationship in between countries hostile and uneven. It seems like if we are permanently creating new forms of exploitation and oppression behind the excuse of new opportunities to rise in the social structure and succeed in America.