| John Carlos Frey | |
|---|---|
| Born | Juan Carlos Frey December 18, 1963 Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico |
| Alma mater | University of San Diego |
| Occupation | Film director, screenwriter, activism |
| Years active | 1982–present |
| Religion | Roman Catholic |
John Carlos Frey (born 1963) in Tijuana, Mexico, is an Mexican-American director and actor known for his documentaries and activism on the plight and treatment of immigrants on the US-Mexican border. Frey's works include the 2002 film The Gatekeeper, which he directed and starred; and documentaries The Invisible Chapel and The 800 Mile Wall. Frey's work has been recognized by Amnesty International, The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), the Anti-Defamation League and Human Rights Watch. He is a contributor to the Huffington Post, and is a consultant to the CBS news program, 60 Minutes on issues pertaining to the U.S. Mexico border. Frey is a graduate of the University of San Diego.[1]
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Frey was born in Tijuana, Mexico.[2] His father was Swiss-American and his mother was naturalized US citizen of Mexican descent. His family moved to San Diego, California, where he attended parochial schools, and later studied film and graduated from the University of San Diego. Early in his life, Frey sought to hide his Mexican heritage. “I wanted to pass as American, I didn’t want to accept that I was part Mexican”, Frey said. “It was really easy to leave my culture behind.”[2] Frey's mother was once picked up by US Border Patrol agents and deported because she was unable to convince them of her legal status.[3]
Frey's TV acting career includes parts from 1995-2002 in The Practice, Days of Our Lives, Married With Children, JAG, Weird Science, Party of Five and Freaky Friday among others.[4]
Frey began writing the screenplay for The Gatekeeper in 1994. He funded the filming of the project himself, after getting turned down by the studios; who suggested that Frey turn the tale into a love story. Frey completed The Gatekeeper for $200,000 and it was released in 2001.
The Gatekeeper is the story of Adam Fields; a half American, half Mexican US Border Patrol agent who hides his Latin ethnicity with racist zeal. Fields goes undercover, posing as an undocumented immigrant in order to catch the "coyotes" or smugglers that work the border. Fields begins a personal transformation after witnessing firsthand the harsh reality that undocumented immigrants face.[2]
Frey interviewed over 600 undocumented workers for the film, which was made entirely in San Diego. It was shown at numerous film festivals and took awards at the 2002 San Diego Latino Film Festival, the Santa Barbara International Film Festival and the International Hispanic Film Festival among others.
The Gatekeeper has been recognized by Amnesty International, The Anti Defamation League, Human Rights Watch, National Immigration Forum, The League of United Latin American Citizens, The National Council of La Raza (NCLR), The Joan B. Kroc Institute of Peace and Justice as well as the Hispanic Congressional Caucus in Washington, D.C. for it’s realistic depiction of illegal immigration in the United States.[5]
Frey's documentaries include Invisible Mexicans of Deer Canyon, The Invisible Chapel, The 800 Mile Wall ,One Border One Body and Life and Death on the Border.[5]
Frey is active in drawing attention to undocumented immigrant issues through his documentaries, speeches and his writing. He is a regular contributor for The Huffington Post, and is a consultant to the CBS news program, 60 Minutes on issues pertaining to the U.S. Mexico border.[6]
In November 2009, Frey and John Hunter were arrested during an act of civil disobedience, when they strung a line of buoys across the All-American Canal near El Centro, California. Frey and Hunter were attempting to attract attention to the fact that over 600 people have drowned while attempting to cross the canal. Charges were later dropped.[7] In August, 2010, The Imperial Irrigation District approved funds to purchase and install buoys every one-half mile along the canal.[8]