Young Undocumented Migrants In Contemporary Fiction Films: Guten Tag, Ramón and Ya no estoy aquí

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The last fifteen years have seen a rise in critically-acclaimed fiction films depicting undocumented migration from and through Mexico. By analyzing two illustrative examples, Guten Tag, Ramón (Good Day, Ramón) (2013) and Ya no estoy aquí (I’m No Longer Here) (2019), this article uses the framework of the coming-of-age genre to dissect the characteristics of this kind of contemporary cinematography, thus pondering its inner-workings and appeal. Moreover, the author contrasts different aspects of the critical reception of these films in order to examine why they are met with both punitive disdain and enthusiastic celebration. The two films’ differences in tone show how the themes of migration, poverty, and violence can be interpreted in various ways to call attention to their urgency. From the lighthearted humor of Good Day, Ramón to the poignant solemnity of I’m No Longer Here, the cinematographic genre, so close to the archetypal plot of coming-of-age narratives, denounces both the indifference of the Mexican middle class and the xenophobia that seeks to undermine the right to migrate.