Austinist Interviews: Clark Lyda and Jesse Lyda, Directors/Producers of The Least of These [SXSW]

Was this a difficult film to make?

Clark: We didn't want to make an activist film, we didn't want to preach to the choir, and we didn't want to tell people how they should feel about this issue. We wanted people of diverse opinions to be able to watch this film and feel informed but not insulted. We wanted balance in a film that clearly has a viewpoint. These objectives were difficult to achieve. And it was difficult to see the children we interviewed and not allow the anger that we felt to dominate the film's content.

Jesse: From the beginning we knew we wanted to make a balanced film in hopes of reaching audiences who never knew Hutto existed. It's easy to preach to the choir. It's impossible to talk to the extreme opposition. But there is a chance that you can provoke a dialogue with those who are still in the middle. That was the real challenge in making this film.

When did you start the project? How long did it take to make?

C: We started shooting in February of 2007 (intending to make a 15-minute short) and ending up taking two years to complete the 62 minute film.

J: I can't believe we thought we could do it in 15 minutes. I'm glad we didn't.

Did you talk to anyone from CCA (Corrections Corporation of America), or any of the workers from the center directly? It seems their presence in the film is limited to the families' interviews or the scenes from the Williamson County Commissioners hearing.

C: We spoke indirectly with several CCA employees (or relatives of employees), but none were willing to be interviewed for fear of their jobs. We chose not to interview CCA officials because we chose to focus the film narrowly on the issue of family detention and not on the failings of CCA (of which there are many) or the issue of private prisons - that's a whole other film.

J: We did ask for interviews with ICE [Immigrations and Customs Enforcement], who declined with the exception of letting us attend the media tour in early 2008. Even that they tried to revoke at the last minute.

C: It was largely a matter of availability and willingness. Many of the former detainees don't want to speak of their time in Hutto, either because it's too painful or because they have pending immigration cases that they don't want to negatively affect. We approached several Iraqi Christian families who had been at Hutto who were unwilling to be interviewed because they feared it would endanger them or their relatives still in Iraq.

What do you think about America's immigration policies? Do you think our current economic climate is changing the way our nation treats immigrants?

C: One of the most surprising things we found while making the film was that feelings about immigrants and immigration policy don't follow any predictable lines—political party, sex, and race are not good predictors of where somebody comes down on family detention (much less the larger immigration issue). We were surprised many times by liberal friends who didn't think family detention was all that bad, and by conservative friends who thought it was outrageous.

On a purely pragmatic level, I know there are far better and cheaper ways than family detention. On an emotional and ethical level, I think family detention is appallingly inconsistent with core American values. As for America's broader immigration policy, I think we need to enact rules that acknowledge the fundamental role that immigrants play in our economy and our culture. I do believe we need to secure our borders, but I also believe we need to liberalize our immigration policies such that there are clear and legal routes for those who want to come here for economic reasons and for those who need to come here for asylum.

J: I think our immigration policies are failing our country. In my opinion our policies need to change to better serve our country and protect and support the rights of immigrants.

I hope that the current economic climate will allow people to see a more human side to immigrants and realize that no one is "illegal", but I am afraid that rising unemployment may focus more negative attention on immigrant labor. I will add that I am hopeful that the new administration can bring and encourage a new outlook on this issue as well as many others.

The film captures a true story of institutional change brought by activism. What role do you think films can play in bringing about social change?

C: We founded our production company with the mission of promoting change through informing and entertaining - we believe film (both documentary and narrative) is an extraordinarily powerful medium for focusing public attention, informing, fostering dialogue, and ultimately, creating a new consensus.

J: I think to bring about true social change you have to make your subject matter as balanced as possible. Most people don't want to be told what to think. They want to come to their own conclusions. And that is when film becomes a powerful medium for change.

Marcy Garriott, another producer of The Least of These, will be participating in a Monday afternoon panel on "Connecting to Audiences that Care: Filmmakers, Distributors and Activists Can Work Together." The film will have its World Premiere Monday, March 16, at the Alamo Ritz. For more information, check out the SXSW Film Festival schedule.