In January 2003, 21-year-old Rosa Estela Olera Jiménez, an illegal immigrant from Mexico working as a nanny in Austin, Texas, is brought to trial for the homicide of 21-month-old Bryan Guttierez, a young boy who died under mysterious circumstances while in her care. The prosecution is relentless in its demonization of Jiménez, a soft-spoken mother of two who was working to one day buy her mother a house and build a better life for herself in the land of opportunity. With a sweeping, lyrical focus, the film encompasses the obstacles, prejudices and Sisyphean struggles faced by many Mexican migrant workers who leave their lives behind to pursue the American dream. A powerful and heart-wrenching documentary, My Life Inside alternates between tense courtroom drama and moving personal profile, providing a cautionary tale about the experience of outsiders in the United States.

How did you decide on this subject matter?

I wanted to talk about Mexican women living in the U nited States, and share their stories, their difficulties, and their lives in prision. I wanted to shed light on the dark side of the American dream.

What was your main objective in making this film?

To make a documentary about the way that M exican women live in prison in the United States, and explain why they are in prison. I also wanted to show the conditions and things that surround the decisions that prompt Mexicans to go to the US without papers and what they confront as a result.

What were the toughest challenges you faced?

Finding the information about the women in prision , shooting Rosa´s trial and the e diting process ; I shot many hours of footage.

What is the most rewarding result from the making of your film?

I started the investigation of My life I nside seven years ago, it was really hard to get the information of the Mexican women in prision, but when I got access everything went really well in the matter of production. It was hard to shoot the trial, everyday was difficult emotionally,but it made me stronger. Meeting Rosa and having the opportunity to interview her and her family, made this movie possible . It was a long proccess, but I learn ed a lot about documentary filmmaking and about telling hard and true stories of human lives. Of course knowing that maybe your movie can help people is also very rewarding.

If you had to use three words to describe your film, what would they be? Strong, honest, direct.

My Life Inside Screenings

Friday April 25th, Isabel Bader Theatre - 9:30 PM
Sunday April 27th, Innis Town Hall - 6:45 PM