Audience Member
I think this film is a great primer on the dynamics of the situation in El Salvador (and Central America) and how these dynamics contribute to the current debate over immigration and how our country (the US) relates/should relate to its neighbors. Jamie's thoughtful documentary is a great place to start learning about this vital issue.
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
02/23/23
Full Review
Audience Member
We are a group of five Peace Corps Volunteers who have been serving in El Salvador for three years now. We just finished watching the documentary and thought the imagery and cinematography were a beautiful depiction of this country. We applaud it in its effort to illustrate serious themes impacting the lives of Salvadorans, like emigration, corporate exploitation, post-civil war trauma, and poverty.
However, we are slightly disappointed in the lack of depth on any of these themes and the depiction of the actual situation of a typical Salvadoran. In fact, promotional material asks "Why do 700 Salvadorans leave their native country every day?" The film never addresses this issue, and only interviews Salvadorans who have been living in the US since the war. The film briefly mentions Marcelo Rivera, the Funes victory, the civil war, etc., all of which are great topics for individual documentaries. However, all thrown together the documentary seems to take on the appearance of propoganda for the FMLN party while never clearly proving a point. The film leaves viewers believing that Salvadorans are all optimistic post-civil war, when in fact, many Salvadorans believe their country is worse off now than at any point during the civil war because of increasing gang violence and lack of opportunity to escape poverty.
We are excited by its interest in El Salvador and the exposure it is creating for it. El Salvador is a country dear to our hearts and we hope one day that this country can achieve peace and provide opportunity for all its citizens.
Zach, Janet, Isabel, Lauren, and Liliana
Rated 1.5/5 Stars •
Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars
02/20/23
Full Review
Audience Member
Filmmaker Jamie Moffett was in Kansas City to screen and discuss the film at Screenland Crossroads on August 1. The film is a riveting retelling of death squad crimes, but leads to a hopeful outlook for present-day Salvadoran society and challenges US audiences to keep El Salvador in their sights. The film explores a first-hand recollection of the years when El Salvador was inflicted with US- trained death squads leading to the deaths of 70,000 civilians between 1980 and 1992. "Return to El Salvador" follows the lives of two families -- one where a union leader was threatened by security forces and another with a former FMLN militant. The well-organized and flawlessly- produced film steps through the history of El Salvador from the days of the 1992 peace accords, back through years describing large landowners domination of the economy, forward through 15 years of horrendous death squad crimes committed against teachers, union organizers, and peasants by US-trained military forces, and to present-day with the victory of the FMLN presidential candidate Mauricio Funes.
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
01/29/23
Full Review
Audience Member
Jamie Moffett in his film, "Return to El Salvador' has documented a very difficult event in the lives of the Salvadoran people, in particular those who are fighting to save their village, and their lifestyle even if it costs their lives. The impact on Jamie personally as well as professionally comes across. He reports the information yet there is more. He provides an opportunity to move beyond simply watching a film, beyond feeling compassion for those effected. He raises a standard, a banner of hope for all to see. Some will catch a glimmer, some will walk with him for awhile. Others will join in the battle. Which are you?
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
01/24/23
Full Review
Audience Member
I loved this movie, it taught me a lot about how our country has effected El Salvador. It's a beautifully made documentary.
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
02/27/23
Full Review
Audience Member
"Return to El Salvador represents one of those rare documentaries that illuminates a global injustice while providing practical solutions for those who feel inspired to link hands with those activists who dare to follow in the footsteps of Oscar Romero." - Becky Garrison, Contributing Editor, Sojourners and author of Jesus Died for This?
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
02/21/23
Full Review
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