Research Catalog

Title

H-2 worker / directed by Stephanie Black.

Publication

New York, NY : Docurama Films : Distributed in the U.S. by New Video, ©2008.

Items in the Library & Off-site

Details

Additional Authors

• Black, Stephanie.
• Alberti, Maryse.
• Mullen, John.
• Mutabaruka, 1952-
• Valley Filmworks, Inc.
• Docurama (Firm)
• New Video Group.

Description

1 videodisc (approximately 70 min.) : sound, color with black and white sequences; 4 3/4 in.

Summary

Since World War II, the United States has been issuing H-2 licenses for seasonal farm workers. These workers are meant to be covered by the same laws as regular workers, but these rules are not often followed. While America complains about cheap foreign labor, it uses--and abuses--millions of foreign laborers who do jobs that American workers refuse to do. These people work in heavily subsidized industries, producing the food that North America demands, and because we are unwilling to pay more for that food, employers do not treat these workers with basic human dignity or respect. This film examines the plight of Jamaicans brought to spend six brutal months cutting sugar cane near Lake Okeechobee, Florida, in the late 1980's. There are thousands of H-2 workers in the U.S. in 2008, and their circumstances have not improved with the passing of years. Originally released in 1990, this documentary provides an invaluable resource to understanding current debate over guest worker provisions of immigration legislation. While Florida's sugar cane cutters have been replaced by mechanical harvesters, guest worker programs have expanded in agriculture, hotel, restaurant, forestry, and other industries.

Alternative Title

H2 worker

Subjects

• Historical films
• Nonfiction films
• Agricultural laborers > Housing
• Agricultural laborers > Health and hygiene
• Foreign workers, Jamaican > Florida
• Strikes and lockouts > Agricultural laborers
• Industrial relations > History
• Palm Beach County (Fla.)
• Sugarcane industry > Florida
• Sugar workers > Florida
• Feature films
• Labor economics
• Agricultural laborers, Foreign
• Documentary films
• Agricultural laborers > Florida
• Labor > History

Genre/Form

• Nonfiction films.
• Feature films.
• Documentary films.
• Historical films.

Note

• Special features: Update on the guest worker program (19 min.); Short: "More than luck" (1 min.); Trailer: "Life and debt" (2 min.); Audio commentary by director Stephanie Black [optional]; About Docurama [text feature]; Docurama trailers (9 min.).
• Originally produced as an American documentary in 1990.
• Material related to the making of the documentary can be found in: H-2 worker Research collection 1940-1994, held by the Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division of the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture.

Credits (note)

• Producer, Stepanie Black ; cinematographer, Maryse Alberti ; editor, John Mullen ; composer, Mutabaruka ; produced in association with Valley Filmworks, Inc.

System Details (note)

• DVD; NTSC; Dolby Digital stereo.

Language (note)

• In English with optional subtitles in Spanish.

Awards (note)

• Winner, 1990 Sundance Film Festival Cinematography Award: Documentary--Maryse Alberti; Grand Jury Prize: Documentary--Stephanie Black.

Contents

Farm Worker Program acceptance -- A ton of cane an hour -- "Hereditary urge" -- Not much sugar in cane -- From barracks to bus to field -- American labor doesn't want that job -- A matter of simple arithmetic -- My turn to get cut -- The probability is not there -- The Okeelanta strike -- See you next season -- Credits.

Call Number

Sc Visual DVD-1819

ISBN

• 0767098099
• 9780767098090

LCCN

767685989234

OCLC

314188735

Title

H-2 worker / directed by Stephanie Black.

Publisher

New York, NY : Docurama Films : Distributed in the U.S. by New Video, ©2008.

Country of Producing Entity

United States.

Type of Content

two-dimensional moving image

Type of Medium

video

Type of Carrier

videodisc

System Details

DVD; NTSC; Dolby Digital stereo.

Language

In English with optional subtitles in Spanish.

Performer

Commentators, Probyn W. Aitken, Dalton Yancey, Tom Breunning, Michael Manley, Tom Downey, Bill Bradley; letters to and from workers read by Homer Heron, George Cesvette, Oliver Stephenson, Delroy Hunter, Jervis Anderson, King David, Belinda Goffe.

Credits

Producer, Stepanie Black ; cinematographer, Maryse Alberti ; editor, John Mullen ; composer, Mutabaruka ; produced in association with Valley Filmworks, Inc.

Awards

Winner, 1990 Sundance Film Festival Cinematography Award: Documentary--Maryse Alberti; Grand Jury Prize: Documentary--Stephanie Black.

Connect to:

Request Access to Schomburg Moving Images and Recorded Sound

Added Author

Black, Stephanie. Producer. Director

Alberti, Maryse. Cinematographer

Mullen, John. Film editor

Mutabaruka, 1952- Composer

Valley Filmworks, Inc.

Docurama (Firm)

New Video Group.

Related To

H-2 worker Research collection, 1940-1994

Research Call Number

Sc Visual DVD-1819