Mexico’s involvement in World War II is often overlooked outside of that country’s borders. Mexican filmmaker Rogelio Ortega set out to change that with his hour-long 2016 documentary. German submarines attacked two Mexican ships transporting crude oil to the United States in 1941, prompting Mexican President Manuel Ávila Camacho to declare war. Ortega pieces together the story of the squadron’s formation, American training, and its vital role in helping Allied forces liberate the occupied Philippines island of Luzon in 1945. Escuadrón 201 builds its compelling narrative with interviews with surviving members of the so-called Aztec Eagles, Mexican military experts, and archival photos, film, and documents. We’re showing it by special arrangement with director Ortega to highlight our southern neighbor’s contribution to the Allied effort. — Doug Pullen
