PORTALBERITA.CO.ID - Utah-based filmmaker Ross Boothe has launched an ambitious independent project, a musical drama titled "Brotherhood," intended to directly challenge the harsh rhetoric surrounding the national immigration debate. This film, shot entirely in Utah, focuses on the intertwined lives of a Mexican immigrant, his American neighbor, and their respective families and social circles.
The production is tentatively slated for release in the autumn of this year across both the United States and Mexico. As reported by Oliver Daniel, the project comes from Boothe’s growing concern over the current tone of public discourse regarding immigration.
"It seems that they are portrayed as all criminals, as people who are sucking on our resources, taking, taking and giving nothing back," said Ross Boothe, Utah Filmmaker.
Boothe explained that his personal experiences paint a vastly different picture, observing that the community is exceptionally hardworking, honest, and deeply dedicated to family and faith. Driven by this dissonance, the filmmaker decided to address the contentious topic through a narrative centered on biblical teachings about neighborly love.
"We need to start from a position of loving our neighbor," said Ross Boothe, Utah Filmmaker.
Boothe’s background includes serving a mission in South Texas and working on various projects throughout Latin America, informing his belief that faith-based communities must prioritize compassion for all neighbors. The entire production utilized a modest budget of approximately $2 million, with filming concluding in late May 2026 after shooting at various Utah locations.
Movie Producer Daren Smith, who runs Craftsman Films, described the endeavor as "very much an indie film." Smith and Boothe reconnected last year after meeting as students at Brigham Young University, leading to their collaboration on this cinematic effort.
The production team navigated some challenging late-spring weather conditions during the April and May shoot, though filming wrapped successfully. "So we had some cold nights the last few weeks here in April, May of 2026 in Utah. But it's worked out for us really nicely," said Daren Smith, Movie Producer.
Smith emphasized that the film’s core focus remains on human connection rather than political maneuvering. "It's a beautiful story built up around love and being a good neighbor, not about politicalization, not about divisiveness or sides or right and wrong," said Daren Smith, Movie Producer.
