“Sin Nombre (Without a Name),” directed by 2009 Sundance Best Director winner Cary Fukunaga, tells the story of a Latin American family’s attempt to immigrate to the U.S. amidst the tide of Mexican gang violence that overpowers much of the country. Although the overarching story of the film is the immigration of Sayra, her father and her uncle, the main character of the film is gang member Willy, known to his gang as Casper.

Willy, played by Edgar Flores, sits atop a train in the heartwrenching immigration tale 'Sin Nombre.'

Sayra’s family is attempting to reconnect with relatives in New Jersey, but before they can cross the U.S., they have to arrive in Texas. In order to make it that far, however, her family has to journey on the treacherous train system in Mexico, where Mexican border police threatens to deport them and gang members attack the train riders.
While Sayra’s family travels north, Willy deals with internal violence in his gang, as the leader begins interfering with Willy’s life. Beautifully shot and brutally honest, “Sin Nombre” is a harrowing tale that gives faces to the countless immigrants that follow Sayra’s path. Fukunaga spent two years doing research in Mexico, including riding on the top of trains with Guatemalan families and talking to numerous gang members, both in and out of prison. His dedication to his topic shows through, as Fukunaga’s feature-length directorial debut presents a focused and unflinching portrayal of the immigrants’ trials. Linked with Focus Features, “Sin Nombre” is set to be released in theaters in March. It’s certainly not a heartwarming tale, but it’s an important and impactful film that needs to have its message spread.

* “Sin Nombre” – 8.5 out of 10.
** Prediction: Fukunaga will be an Oscar-winning Director. I talked to John Cooper, one of the directors of the Sundance Film Festival programming, and he told me that Fukunaga will be successful.  He wasn’t making a guess, he was stating a fact. If you see “Sin Nombre,” you’ll agree.