"Roads of Fire" Examines the Unseen Faces of the Global Migration Crisis

Nathaniel Lerza, director of the thought provoking film "Roads of Fire". Credit to The Prenner Group.

Los Angeles, California (February 16, 2025)- Nathaniel Lezra's Roads of Fire offers an urgent and intimate exploration of one of the most pressing issues of our time: the global migration crisis. With a unique blend of storytelling, Lezra’s documentary navigates the complex realities faced by migrants, highlighting their courage and the dire circumstances that force them to flee their homes. The film, premiering at the 2024 Santa Barbara International Film Festival, intertwines three narratives that offer a lens into the human cost of migration—through the eyes of a smuggler, an asylum seeker, and a volunteer.

Lezra’s journey into the world of forced migration began not through a distant interest, but through proximity and a personal connection to the crisis. Living in New York during the highly publicized confrontation between Governor Greg Abbott and Mayor Adams, which resulted in the mass bussing of migrants into the city, Lezra was confronted with the human toll of such political actions. Standing in line with asylum seekers—many dehydrated, undernourished, and stranded—he began to reflect on his own ignorance about the asylum system and the broader geopolitical factors fueling migration. “The city was already reaching a breaking point in terms of its shelter system and infrastructure for unhoused people,” Lezra explains. “I wanted to examine the conditions of these people relative to the lack of support being offered by the city and interrogate my own ignorance about the asylum system in the United States.” This raw, firsthand experience laid the groundwork for Roads of Fire, evolving into a film that aims to capture the multifaceted migratory journey in the Western Hemisphere, with an emphasis on the perilous road migrants must traverse and the political forces that push them toward it.

At the heart of Roads of Fire are three compelling figures: the smuggler, the asylum seeker, and the volunteer. Lezra’s approach to capturing these stories was deliberate and challenging. In New York, he connected with local NGOs, such as EV Loves NYC, which were on the frontlines feeding and supporting asylum seekers. Through this network, he gained access to the stories of those affected. However, his work in Colombia posed far greater risks. Filming in the Darién Gap, a region known for its treacherous conditions and controlled by criminal organizations, Lezra relied heavily on local connections for access. “The challenge was immense,” Lezra admits. “We communicated clearly with the Gulf Cartel, who control everything in that region, to ensure our safety. It was emotionally difficult, but we were guided by local producers and a DP, Braulio Jatar, who had spent years shooting in the area.” Despite these hurdles, the narrative flows seamlessly between Colombia and New York, allowing the film to illustrate how these migrant stories mirror one another, highlighting the journey’s universal nature.

Lezra’s filmmaking style in Roads of Fire reflects the rawness of the journey it documents. The visual language was crafted to convey intimacy, closeness, and the emotional weight of the subjects' experiences. Eschewing grandiose cinematic techniques, Lezra focused on minimalism, often shooting with a handheld camera to create an immediate sense of proximity to the people whose stories are being told. The goal was to evoke feelings of dread, claustrophobia, and anxiety—the emotions often described by migrants in their struggles through the Darién Gap. “The emotional concepts of the film—dread, anxiety, claustrophobia—were critical,” Lezra explains. “We wanted the viewer to feel the physical and psychological toll of the journey. It was about bringing the viewer into the intimate spaces these people occupied, whether it was a crowded kitchen or a market, and making them feel what it’s like to walk in their shoes.”

One of the most striking elements of Roads of Fire is its emphasis on the resilience of those who endure the migration process. Despite the seemingly insurmountable challenges, Lezra highlights the unwavering spirit of hope and survival that drives migrants to keep moving. The subjects’ strength is evident throughout the film, but it is most poignant in the moments of connection between the people in the documentary, such as when Lezra visits a refugee camp in Necoclí, Colombia. “People were willing to share their stories with me because I approached them with vulnerability and respect,” Lezra reflects. “That’s something that’s often missing in the mainstream American media. But when you open the space for honest conversation, people will show you their scars and their lives. It’s something we need more of in the political discourse around migration.”

By focusing on the personal stories of individuals, Roads of Fire challenges the broader narratives about migration, offering a more nuanced and humanized perspective. Lezra believes that in focusing on these intimate, individual journeys, the film speaks to the universal truths of human experience.

Through its intimate storytelling, Roads of Fire seeks to challenge the dominant misconceptions surrounding the migration crisis. Lezra is adamant that the crisis is not merely the result of a “broken system” but the consequence of disjointed and often antagonistic bureaucracies. He deconstructs the idea that there is a coherent, functioning “asylum system” or “immigration system,” noting that what exists is a convoluted, chaotic network of policies that fail to provide meaningful support to migrants. “This isn’t about a ‘broken’ system,” Lezra asserts. “There isn’t even a system—there are conflicting bureaucracies and political groups that don’t communicate, that are actively at odds. What we need is to acknowledge the real human experiences behind the headlines, not just the political talking points.”

Lezra’s vision for Roads of Fire extends far beyond the film festival circuit. He hopes the documentary will contribute to a more compassionate, empathetic understanding of the migration crisis and its underlying causes. “My goal is to invite people to regard refugees and migrants as human beings experiencing extreme trauma,” Lezra says. “If we can achieve that, we can start moving the political discourse to a more compassionate place.” Beyond that, Lezra envisions Roads of Fire being used as an educational tool and a resource for advocacy, shining a light on the complexities of migration and the policies that shape it. “If this film can be a tiny part of the conversation that ultimately leads to a more humane approach to migration, I’ll be honored,” he concludes.

As Roads of Fire continues its festival run, its powerful message remains clear: through personal stories and intimate truths, we can better understand the human face of migration and, hopefully, inspire a more compassionate response to one of the most critical issues of our time.