On May 24, the After Maria documentary started broadcasting on Netflix. The 37-minute short, which debuted at the Tribeca Film Festival, focuses on the stories of three Puerto Rican women and their families who were displaced by Hurricane María and found themselves in New York City, clinging to the hope that their FEMA aid to stay in a hotel would not expire.
Apparently, the film has led to very intense reactions back in Puerto Rico, so much so that two petitions (one in Spanish and one in English) are calling for Netflix to remove the documentary from its streaming service. As of this posting, the two petitions have gotten a combined total of close to 60,000 signatures.
Local Puerto Rican media is chronicling the backlash, even talking to Puerto Rican documentary filmmakers about why they thought the film was so problematic. From what we can tell, many voices in Puerto Rico think the film just perpetuates the stereotype that Puerto Ricans are always dependent on federal aid. They also feel that the film lacked any depth or that it virtually ignored what actually happened on the island after María. Others are reminding people that other projects, like Candlelight (below), did a much better job in portraying the local pain of the storm.
Nonetheless, the social media reaction has generated a deeper discussion about the reaction to the film, including issues of classism, misogyny and colonialism. Here is just a sample of what people are saying on Twitter (you can see more here):
Just watched #AfterMaria, and while it’s not the best doc I’ve ever seen, it seems that many of the critiques I’m seeing on social media highlights a lot of classism, misogyny, and #yonomequito™️ bullshit within Puerto Rico and to a lesser extent its diaspora.
— Marisol LeBrón (@marisollebron) May 28, 2019
I haven't seen #AfterMaria pero…
No one documentary could cover all of the trauma & bullshit Puerto Ricans were subjected to pre & post Maria.
Every day our island is exploited as we try to rebuild, as we fight to remain or return.
There are many stories to support & create.
— Andrew J. Padilla ?? (@apadillafilm6) May 28, 2019
To anyone who wants a real representation of the Puerto Rican people after Hurricane María, don't watch @netflix #AfterMaria. Rather, I suggest you watch Candlelight ( https://t.co/1wAnJE5BIP ). They do a better job in 8 minutes than After María did in 37. #apoyalonuestro ✊??
— Dremi Echandia (@DremiEchandia) May 28, 2019
The #AfterMaria documentary does a serious disservice to the island by not including an analysis of how colonialism and persistent structural inequalities affected Puerto Ricans before and post-Maria. https://t.co/SU6BKVXdu7
— Latina Gerontologist (@latinageron) May 28, 2019
The real struggle was the people who stayed in PR #AfterMaria, not the ones that left @netflix
— MikeyPr (@MikeyPR1218) May 28, 2019
REALLY #Netflix?! #aftermaría?! It’s NOT what a puertorrican went through! It’s NOT what a PUERTORRIQUEÑO is! The documental just show parasites! People that just want to live out from the government. Take that crap down! For the sake of all are suffering PTSD caused by H.María.
— Marisita (@marisita_lopez) May 27, 2019
Please don’t watch #AfterMaria on Netflix. It’s full of absolute bullshit and you can tel no one from the actual island was consulted. White people wanting to make money off our pain isn’t outside the norm so I’m not surprised but fuck you @netflix
— M (@daenerysis) May 27, 2019
Last night I saw @netflix #AfterMaria mini documentary. As a Puertorrican I’m completely embarrassed that that’s what you chose to show the country. Those individuals do not represent us. Why didn’t you show the rest of us without power, water, in line for hours for months?
— jayondasun (@jayondasun) May 27, 2019
As for us? We will let our publisher @julito77 share his thoughts:
Ok I just finished watching #AfterMaria on @netflix. Here are some thoughts, in no particular order.
— Julio Ricardo Varela (@julito77) May 29, 2019
As a film, it was ok. Didn’t really pack that much of an emotional punch. Was too short.
— Julio Ricardo Varela (@julito77) May 29, 2019
Lacked some cultural understanding and also lacked serious depth.
— Julio Ricardo Varela (@julito77) May 29, 2019
I do wonder if the filmmakers were invested in the topic, or were just capitalizing on riding the Hurricane María interest that came after the storm.
— Julio Ricardo Varela (@julito77) May 29, 2019
The doc lacked a lot. Tried to do too much in too little time.
— Julio Ricardo Varela (@julito77) May 29, 2019
The doc’s title was very broad and ambitious, too. I can see why some people felt betrayed by it.
— Julio Ricardo Varela (@julito77) May 29, 2019
But you can’t deny that these stories are real. They are very real.
— Julio Ricardo Varela (@julito77) May 29, 2019
Others weighed in about the points Julito raised:
I think it’s important to understand that in the island there is a lot of resentment toward los que se fueron. And this is no different in the context of Maria.
— Frances Solá-Santiago (@frances_sola) May 28, 2019
Class, race, and misogyny is a huge part of the backlash. But tension between those who stayed versus those who left is probably the bigger issue. It’s a debate over whose story really represents a collective experience of the storm and its aftermath.
— Marisol LeBrón (@marisollebron) May 28, 2019
Some of the critiques are absolutely valid, some are the usual hatred of the poor BS. pic.twitter.com/9QwTPJZJtt
— boricuabot #AbolishLaJunta (@chimeraelf) May 28, 2019
The doc was short and just ok. So not hating on Netflix showcasing it but I was a little underwhelmed. But one thing that rang familiar: that now-Century long experience of the jibaro/a moving to a big city and quickly feeling the brunt of its size, expense, culture, language.
— Michael Collazo (@MCollazo215) May 29, 2019
Showcasing people in hotels, with warm food, cell phone, water, air conditioning does not represent the reality of the island. Even though it’s sad for the 3 families shown, they were safe and comfortable. The island was a very different story.
It’s a really bad documentary.— Holahappy????…Judith Dolores (@Holahappy1) May 29, 2019
I thought the doc was going to feature the aftermath on the island. Instead we got the hardships of people trying to live here. We see them cooking in their hotel room and going down the hall to get ice. Meanwhile, people in PR had no food and waited hours to buy some water. ??♀️
— Taylor V. Donovan (@taylorvdonovan) May 28, 2019
There are many After Maria experiences and this was one of them. Loosing your emotional/physical home is as traumatic as having no power for months. Doc was engaging, respectful, empathetic. Felt terrible for the young girl, clearly traumatized as they are all at some level.
— G. Sierra-Zorita (@GSierraZorita) May 29, 2019
We are sure the debate will continue, and we will see the same types of divisions that have become the standard for the Puerto Rican community (those who stay vs. those who leave; rich vs. poor, etc. etc.). As for us? Here’s hoping this inspires others to keep telling their OWN stories and realize that the best way to challenge the narrative to to create new narratives.
[…] to be taken off the streaming platform have emerged after many Puerto Ricans believe the film fails to adequately portray the events that followed the category-5 hurricane on Sept. 2017. Local newspaper El Nuevo Día […]
[…] to be taken off the streaming platform have emerged after many Puerto Ricans believe the film fails to adequately portray the events that followed the category-5 hurricane on September 2017. Local newspaper El Nuevo Día […]
[…] to be taken off the streaming platform have emerged after many Puerto Ricans believe the film fails to adequately portray the events that followed the category-5 hurricane on September 2017. Local newspaper El Nuevo Día […]