While it may not immediately seem so, international issues have a substantial influence on our daily lives. Cynthia Enloe, a feminist political scientist, claims that “feminists need to pay attention to international issues not only because international politics affects our futures but also because patriarchy creates gendered divisions of labor…international politics leads to both inequalities among women and the possibilities of organizing against those inequalities” (496). International politics’ role in our lives continues to grow as the world becomes more and more intertwined due to globalization. Our CAP is a clear example of how Western standards heavily affect the rest of the world. Having realized how much of an impact cultural imperialism has on the idea of female beauty, it also became clear that women quite often are the objects and victims of these international issues, which Enloe points out (497). Unfortunately, the majority of women are not aware of these happenings.
One event that seems to have received far less attention than it deserves, especially from women, is the ongoing saga of the Juarez murders. Shockingly, many of the locals know very little about it unless they have been directly effects. It is more essential than ever to promote the circulation of international events and policies. One very effective method of spreading information is through video; Senorita Extravida: Missing Young Women, Lourdes Portillo’s documentary on the Juarez femicides is very successful in relaying all the information that was available at the time. Unfortunately, due to a low budget, this film is very poorly circulated. In order for women to play a more substantial role in international relations as they are encouraged to do, dominant media outlets must work in conjunction with the creators of such essential films so they can be made available; then a higher level of awareness among women will be more possible.
What makes Senorita Extravida successful as a documentary is Portillo’s use of cinematic techniques; they function to catch the eye of the viewer and keep them engaged during the entirety of the film. Additionally, they make the content of the film very easy to interpret. The first technical aspect that is noticeable is the somber music that plays as a series of newspaper clips of missing women are shown throughout the film. The newspaper clips have a lasting impact on viewers; the quick transition between each picture functions to enumerate the victims of this rampage, but the music really confirms the grim nature of these segments. Additionally, a large portion of the film is composed of interviews of people who have directly been affected by the Juarez murders. Interviewees include victims, people involved in solving the case, and potential culprits. A personal touch was added by the interviews, as they worked to humanize both the victims and offenders; viewers most likely found they could relate to the circumstances some of the interviewees were put in.
Perhaps the most startling part of Senorita Extraviada is the interview with the two local girls, who are shown at the beginning and end of the film. At the start of the documentary, the girls claim that they don’t know much about the Juarez murders and that they don’t feel particularly frightened by the disappearance and death of hundreds of girls. Towards the end of the film, it is revealed that the sister of one of the girls went missing. This reverts back to the prospect of women being aware of international affairs, even though these particular girls don’t seem to be very knowlegable of what is happening in their own back yard. Can we expect that all women will suddenly learn everything there is to learn? What about the fact that for most of history women were not permitted anywhere near the realm of politics of any sort? Enloe states that “a woman working in a garment factory in Ireland should learn more about the EEC because what the EEC commissioners do in Brussels is going to help determine her wages and maybe the hazards she faces on the job” (496). She would become more educated about the EEC by “devoting precious time and energy to learning about events outside her own country because as women she is one of the objects of those events” (496). While it is completely true that this garment factory worker is an object of world events, I don’t think she is in any position to devote so much time to keep track of current events, which is possibly why the local girls in Juarez did not have an inkling of the scope of the Juarez femicides until they were directly affected.
-Lavanya
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