Rebecca Cammisa's Which Way Home is a fascinating, eye-opening documentary that follows Latin American kids as they travel unaccompanied (via the top of freight trains) across Mexico with the dream of crossing the United States border in order to one day help their families back home. They have grand ideas of what America is and talk of being adopted or getting work to "make some real money". Unfortunately most people (let alone kids) risking their lives by taking this trip end up dead or captured.

Besides following the main subjects Kevin and Fito (two pre-teens) on their journey to the U.S. from Guatemala, the film examines all sides of illegal migration and how dangerous it is. From hearing parents recount the stories of their children who died attempting the trek, to the horrific tales from border patrol officers about how many kids they find on the side of the road who've been raped by the smugglers hired to help them. It's all very hard to take. And that's not all -- add the tears of kids who have been caught and put in shelters, along with stories of people being killed or amputated by "The Beast" (their name for the train they ride on top of). When the credits rolled my mouth was hanging and I was holding back tears.

A good documentary makes you care about the subject and want to learn more about it. Which Way Home did both and I hope it helps promote discussion about what can be done to stop these atrocities from occurring.

Which Way Home plays at Hot Docs 4:30pm on Thursday, May 7.

Hot Docs 2009 runs from April 30 - May 10. For more information or to purchase tickets visit hotdocs.ca.

brian.mckechnie@citynews.ca