Chihuahua-born, El Paso-raised journalist and filmmaker Jacqueline Baylon’s moving documentary about a couple’s efforts to recover their son’s body is film festival hit that aired on PBS’ POV and was shortlisted for this year’s documentary short Academy Award. It is an immigration story, influenced by Baylon’s passage from Juárez to El Paso as a child, but it’s not directly about migration into the U.S.-Mexico. Until He’s Back takes place in Morocco and Spain. It concerns grieving parents who spend nearly a year trying to recover their son’s body after he drowned attempting the dangerous passage to Spain. Baylon says she wanted to know how a family finds closure in a tragedy like that. The jury at the Big Sky Documentary Film Festival wrote, “With its poetic portrayal, a tender eye for details, and heartfelt sensitivity, Until He’s Back captivates on multiple levels, showcasing remarkable artistry and emotional depth.” — Doug Pullen
