The Mexican Suitcase

Over 500,000 people died during the Spanish Civil War in the 1930s; a further 200,000 fled, many of them to Mexico. THE MEXICAN SUITCASE takes us on a journey to the past, by way of newly discovered photographs from the war that transcend memory and resurrect an era. Robert Capa, David “Chim” Seymour, and Gerda Taro were idealistic young chroniclers of the war in Spain whose negatives comprise the Mexican Suitcase. Feared lost but rediscovered in 2007 in Mexico City, the suitcase consists of handmade cardboard cases containing previously unseen rolls of film. The cases were likely constructed by the photographers' Paris-based assistant, who wrote information about the precious negatives inside and sent them on their way. The film traces the fortuitous journey this suitcase—and many exiles—took, from Spain to Paris to Marseille, then by boat to Mexico. The extraordinarily affecting images shown here will serve as vital documents of the era for generations to come. As one elderly exile notes, “You can't build a future without your memories.” (In English, Spanish, and Catalan with subtitles) – B.B.