Synopsis/Sinopsis Baja California, Mexico, has long since been a tourist destination for a wide variety of people, most often frequented as a vacation destination for many surfers and beach bound residents of nearby San Diego. No stranger to diver-sity, the region is made up of 40% White/European, including Mexican and Spanish decent, 36% Mestizo, 9% Asian, and 15% Natives of Mexican or Central American origin. All of these cultures blended together to make a bouquet of Baja culture, extending to food, music, and the laid back Baja lifestyle. Rosarito, a city of 130,000 has been for years one of the reasons for Baja California’s popularity; however, starting in 2006 there was trouble in paradise. !e U.S. media released some information that caused this paradise to suf-fer. Some occurrences were true, other weren’t and some were manipulated and exagerated. Due to the lack of centralized reporting of crime in Mexico, it is di"cult to gauge exactly how much crime is go-ing on in Rosarito. !e National Statistics O"ce of the Mexican Government posted that in 2005, there were only 24 murders (total), but have not published a report since. !e American news, however, is frustratingly con-tradictory. In 2006, the US State Department put out a travel warning, saying that Mexico was no longer a safe travel destination for Americans. In their studies, they stated that 128 Americans were killed in Mexico between January of 2005 and December of 2007. !e one thing that all media sources can agree on is the cause of the vi-olence. Drug Cartel violence is on the rise because of the increased enforcement on the part of the new Mexican President. But what does that mean for the Americans murdered? Were they connected to drug cartels as well? Finding information exclusively on Rosarito beach is di"cult. !e US State Department also tells us that 29 of those 128 murders in Mexico took place in Tijuana. !is situation is a frightening look at modern media report-ing, bias, and politics. !ere are some questions that must be answered. How many murders are really taking place in these towns? Is it really the horrific numbers that the US State Department suggests? If it is, then why is the Mexican media not informing its tourist economy of the dangers of its country because of drug cartel violence? If the numbers that pro-Mexico media projects are to believed, why is the United States media trying to scare peo-ple from going to Mexico? Why are false murder numbers being reported? One or both parties arent disclos-ing the truth and uncovering this truth behind the media is what “What is happening in Rosarito?” is all about.

Baja California, México ha sido un destino turístico para una diversidad de personas, pero mayormente un des-tino vacacional para los muchos residentes de San Diego interesados playas. Una ciudad llena de diversidad, Baja Cali-fornia esta compuesto de 40% blancos/europeos, incluyendo de descendencia Mexicana y Española, 36% Mestizos, 9% Asiáticos, y 15% nativos de origen de México y Centro America. Todas estas culturas son unidas para crear un destino turístico lleno de una variedad de comidas, música y un ambiente relajado. Rosarito, una ciudad de 130,000 habitantes, ha sido parte clave en la popularidad de Baja California, pero sin embargo, en el 2006 problemas comenzaron a surgir. Los medios de comunicaciones en Estados Unidos publicaron información que ha causado que este paraí-so sufra. Algunos de los sucesos publicados son ciertos, otros no, y otros han sido manipulados y hasta exagerados. Debido a la poca información publicada sobre el nivel de crimen específicamente en Rosarito, es difícil saber exactamente que es lo que esta sucediendo. El Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Geografía del gobierno Mexicano publico que en el 2005, este siendo el ultimo año reportado, hubo solamente 24 asesinatos. Las noticias y medios de comunicación estadounidenses pub-licaron números notablemente contradictorios. En el 2006, el Departamento de Estado de los Estados Unidos publico un aviso de emergencia a todos los viajeros diciendo que México no era un destino seguro para los Americanos. En sus investigaciones, dije-ron que alrededor de 125 Americanos fueron asesinados en México entre Enero 2005 y Diciembre 2007. Lo que se cree que puede haber causado estos asesinatos es el trafico ilegal de drogas en México.¿Que significa esto para los Americanos asesinados? ¿Es-tarían conectados con el trafico de droga? Encontrar información de Rosarito es sumamente difícil y requiere investigación. El Departamento de Estado de los Estados Unidos dice que 29 de los 128 asesinatos ocurrieron en Tijuana. Esta situación da mu-cho que decir sobre política y los medios de comunicación actuales. Hay muchas preguntas que necesitan ser contestadas. ¿Cuan-tos asesinatos realmente ocurrieron en estas ciudades de Baja California? ¿Serán realmente tan alarmantes como los números publicados por el gobierno Estadounidense? Si lo es, ¿por qué el gobierno Mexicano no le informa a los turistas los peligros de su país causados por el trafico de drogas? Si de lo contrario, la verdad es que estos números son falsos, ¿porque será que los medios Estadounidenses están tratando de alejar a las personas de México?¿ Por que publican números falsos? Una de las dos versiones tiene que ser la correcta y descubrir la verdad es lo que “¿Que está sucediendo en Rosarito?” tiene como propósito descubrir.

Synopsis/Sinopsis Biographies/Biografías

Eric Tollar is an independent documentary filmmaker and photographer based out of Boston, Massachu-setts. Currently attending Emerson College. Eric has achieved a minor in photography and will be graduat-ing in the Spring of 2009 with a Bachelors Degree in Political Communications. In the summer of 2006, Eric conducted a photo documentary in the town of Hone Creek, Costa Rica. Living there for two months, he documented the lives of local organic banana farmers and the impact of standard banana farming on the environment. Realizing he had a passion for film, Eric has acted in a number of films, including is Co-Star role as John Hallston in !ursday, which won the Bluegrass Independent Film Festival. In 2008, Eric created a seventy-photo collection called Come Hell or High Water, which documented the American Hardcore music scene, and the stories of the youth involved in it. Eric is a law and social justice advocate, with a passion for storytelling. In May of 2008, he created a short documentary, !e Street Crusade, on gang life in Boston. It documents the stories of former gang members and organizations that are trying to help the a#ected youth. !e Street Crusade won the 2008 National Grand Finale of Campus Movie Fests Social Justice Category. Eric is currently working on three di#erent documentaries, including the soon to be titled work concerning the US media e#ect on the town of Rosarito, Mexico.

Eric Tollar es un cinematógrafo y fotógrafo independiente que se concentra en documentales y la vida real. Ac-tualmente reside en Boston, Massachusetts y cursa estudios universitarios en Emerson College. Eric se graduará a principios de 2009 con un Bachillerato en Comunicaciones Políticas y fotografía. En el verano del año 2006, Eric llevo a cabo un documentar mediante la fotografía en la comunidad de Hone Creek, Costa Rica. Durante los dos meses que residió allí, pudo tomar fotografías para demostrar la vida de los agricultores y el impacto que la agricultura banan-era tiene en el ambiente. Dándose cuenta la pasión que siente por la cinematografía, Eric ha actuado en varias pelícu-las, entre ellas !ursday, ganadora del Bluegrass Independent Film Festival. En el año 2008, Eric creó una colección de 70 fotografías titulada “Come Hell or High Water”, que se enfocaba en el ambiente de la música americana y la historia de los jóvenes envueltos en la misma. Eric está muy interesado en las leyes y la justicia social con una gran pasión en contar historias. En mayo del año 2008, creó un documental titulado “!e Street Crusade”, sobre las ban-das, drogas y crimen en Boston. Documenta la vida de antiguos miembros de las bandas y organizaciones que tienen como propósito ayudar a los adolescentes involucrados y afectados en el mismo. Este documental ganó en el 2008 el Primer Lugar en la categoría de Justicia Social del “Campus Movie Fest.” Actualmente, Eric se encuentra trabajando en tres documentales diferentes.

Eric TollarDirector and Executive Producer/Director y Productor Ejecutivo

Biographies/BiografíasJennan Al-HamdouniProducer/Productora Jennan Al-Hamdouni is a senior at Emerson College pursuing a BS in Leadership, Politics and Social Advocacy, a BFA in Writing/Literature/Publishing, and a minor in Pho-tography. Focusing her attention and studies on the global scope of politics and advocacy, Jennan’s Iraqi background, combined with her international travels have integrated her photography and political ambitions into a photo-journalistic and international diplo-macy focus. Jennan participated in the Emerson’s Taiwan program and taught English in East Asia while working on a close study of the Muslim population of Taiwan, and more recently, came back from a three month trip in Africa where she volunteered in West Af-rica, worked on a documentary in North Africa/Boston, and volunteered at an AIDS or-phanage in Kenya with Boston Medical Center’s AIDS Research team. Jennan sees her future incorporating Middle Eastern Correspondence and International Development.

Jennan Al-Hamdouni se encuentra cursando su cuarto año de estudios universitarios en Emerson College con un bachillerato en Liderato, Politica y Promociones, otro en Escritura, Litera-tura y Publicaciones con una concentración menor en fotografía. Actualmente concentra su atención y estudios en relación a la política y promoción en el ambito global. Su descendencia Iraqui en com-binación con sus viajes internacionales han cultivado un gran interes en el fotoperiodismo y la han hecho enfocarse en la diplomacia internacional. Jennan participó en intercambio de Emerson College en Taiwan, y recientemente regresó de un viaje de tres meses en Africa, donde hizo trabajo comuni-tario, trabajo en un documental y fue voluntaria en el orfanato de pacientes con SIDA en Kenya junto con en equipo de Investigacion del Centro Médico de Boston. Jennan, en el futuro, espera incorporar sus conocimientos y practicando la correspondencia del Oriente Medio y el Desarrollo internacional.

Born and raised in Puerto Rico, Fernando currently attends Emerson College in Boston, MA. He plans to pursue a Bachelors Degree in Marketing Communications. Fernando is interested in entering the advertising and/or public relations industries. In the past Fernando has worked on the production of many professional theater and musical theater productions back in his hometown such as A Chorus Line and soon Hair. Fernando also worked as a producer on the pre-production of the independent short film “Dead Men’s Rush” which has now been relocated from Boston, MA to Los Angeles, CA. In the past Fernando has also served as an actor in many theater productions and independent films. Currently, Fernando is working on “What is Happening to Rosarito?” as a producer and is Exectuve producing “Villa Victoria”, a documentary following the struggles and accomplishments of Villa Victoria, a hispanic community in South Boston.

Nacido y criado en Puerto Rico, Fernando actualmente cursa sus estudios universitarios en Emerson College en Boston, MA. En sus planes futuros se encuentra terminar su bachillerato en Comunicaciones y Mercadeo. En el pasado, Fernando ha trabajado en la producción de espectáculos a nivel profesional en Puerto Rico, entre ellos el musical A Choros Line y pronto, el musical Hair. Fernando también ha trabajado como productor en la pre-producción del filme independiente “Dead Men’s Rush” que fue re-localizada de Boston, MA a Los Ángeles, CA. En el pasado Fernando también ha actuado en varios espectáculos teatrales y filmes independientes. Actualmente Fernando se encuentra trabajando en “¿Que Sucede en Rosarito?” como productor y también como productor ejecutivo en “Villa Victoria”, un documental que se enfoca en las batallas y logros de Villa Victoria, una comunidad hispana en el sur de Boston.

Fernando FebresProducer/Productor

Biographies/Biografías Related Articles/Artículos Relacionados

Filmmakers win top national prize (www.emerson.edu) A team of Emerson communication students has won the $10,000 first prize in Campus MovieFest’s social justice film competition, known as Elfenworks. !e group, members of Professor J. Gregory Payne’s Com-munication !eory class, had already won $2,500 for placing in the top three. !e final awards in a number of categories were presented in New York City in May. !e winning social justice film was !e Street Crusade, a documentary about youth gangs in Boston. !e student filmmakers are team leaders Corinne Mesa ‘10 and Rosalind Fraser ‘10 and team members Eric Tollar ‘09 (at left, with Payne) and Drew Cookson ‘10. Campus MovieFest is the largest student film festival in the world. !e Elfenworks competition chal-lenges students “to create films that capture the often untold stories of those in our communities who are ‘in harmony with hope’ and making a di#erence in helping with domestic poverty,” said the contest’s website. A short film by Emerson students Ryan Cook ‘09, Michael McGarry ‘10, Jeremy Albucher ‘09, Derek Des-mond ‘09 and Steve Rossignol ‘09 won the Best Picture prize at the Campus MovieFest Boston Grand Finale held at the Colonial !eatre. !eir movie, Looking Up, is about a man who experiences a life changing visitation from an angelic young woman after he accidentally kills someone. During the Boston festivities, alumnus Richard Arlook ‘83 gave a special award to fellow alum Brad Ep-stein ‘85, honoring Epstein as a leader in the film industry. Epstein has spent the last half decade as the senior vice president of production for Disney’s Buena Vista Studios. Arlook, formerly with the Gersh Agency in Los Angeles, recently opened his own management/representation company.

Rosarito Beach Hoping for peace, return to prosperity in 2009 (Excerpt from Los Angeles Times) “!e narco war rages on in Tijuana, Rosarito Beach and Ensenada, along with areas in mainland Mexico, and though the fatalities generally involve rivaling drug dealers, informants or policemen, among the innocent victims are families whose livelihoods rely on tourism. Unlike Tijuana and Ensenada, Rosarito Beach subsides almost exclusively on tourists, who are so fright-ened by the headlines that they’ve all but stopped driving across the border. Town o"cials are mired with the task of assuring visitor safety, while hotels remain empty, beaches are deserted and businesses are closing with alarming frequency.”

Rosarito Beach losing tourists to crime Fears (Excerpt from Los Angeles Times) “Torres invariably answers concerns with a statistic seldom mentioned in the sensational headlines: No tourists have been killed or targeted in Rosarito Beach, he said. And unless people come to sell or use drugs, they shouldn’t encounter problems. ‘Tourists are not targeted; citizens are not targeted. But the violence makes it feel dangerous to be around,’ Torres said. ‘It’s very hard to know who’s going to be hit next.’ But even Torres acknowledges that it is di"cult shaping perceptions when grim-faced federal agents pa-trol the town in Hummers, and tourists are stopped at checkpoints by Mexican marines with 50-caliber machine guns. !e owner of the landmark Rosarito Beach Hotel, the mayor long ago hitched his fortunes to the city, which he helped incorporate in 1995. In its heyday, the hotel, which sits on a pristine stretch of sand, drew stars such as Marilyn Monroe and Frank Sinatra, and it remains a favorite of Southern Californians who fill the hotel on summer weekends. Or used to fill it.”

Sponsoring

Unlike large film productions, documentaries are smaller budget, meaning that whatever sponsorship you or your company can make a huge di#erence in our production value. Equipment, post production, travel, and submission fees are just a few of the financial burdens that independent documentary makers face. We believe that the issues we are out to discuss are important to our world to witness, and want you to join us in our e#orts.

Sponsor Status:as a sponsor you will receive:-Your company’s name featured in film credit -Your company’s name and logo listed on website with a link to the companies website-Your company receives 2 DVD’s of the Documentary

!ere is no minimum nor maximum donation for an independent film maker. Every dollar that you generously give to us brings us closer to making a quality product. So that you may gauge how much you believe is the optimal donation, we have provided a general expense list.

Expected expenses:

HD Quality Camera: $6,000-$10,000Due to the nature of some of our documentary locations and stories, we are in the market for our own camera. Renting forces us to worry about damages or theft, and does not allow us the unrestricted abili-tiy to shoot. !e story doesn’t wait!

Plane Ticket: appx. $200-$800 (depending on location) per personHaving an optimal crew of 4 persons can make this expensive. !e more production sta# we can bring, the better.

Living Costs: $150+ per dayWhile shooting a documentary, we need a food and a place to stay.

Post-Production Costs: Misc.While traveling and equipment are costly, the editing, post production e#ects, entrey fees and distribu-tion can be varied by the project and the sta# we have helping.

For more infomation about sponsoring and to make donations please visit: www.tollarproductions.com

Patrocinar

A diferencia de grandes producciones cinematográficas, los documentales son de presupuestos bajos, esto significa que cualquier contribución que usted o su compañía pueda tener, hará una gran diferencia en nuestra produccion. Materiales, Transportación, Solicitudes para participar en Festivales de Cine y equipo electrónico son simplemente algunos de nuestros muchos gastos. Creemos en la importancia de las inves-tigaciones que estaremos realizando e informando al mundo, y nos gustaría que su compañia se uniera a nosotros.

Patrocinadores:Los patrocinadores recibirán los siguientes beneficios:-El nombre de su compañía en los créditos al final del documental-El nombre y logotipo de su compañía en la página de internet- 2 copias del DVD del documental

No hay ninguna aportación mínima ni máxima para un cinematógrafo. Toda donación nos ayudará a crear un producto de calidad. Para facilitarles y darles una idea de los costos de nuestra producción, hemos incluido una lista de gastos aproximados.

Gastos aproximados:

Cámara de Calidad HD- $6,000-$10,000Debido a el alto costo de renta de equipo electrónico, deseamos adquirir una cámara para así, tener control de la misma sin preocupaciones de tiempo, seguros y/o daños. Así podremos capturar las imagenes al mo-mento.

Transportación aerea: $200-$800 (depende de la localidad) por personaActualmente la producción consta de 4 personas, pero mientras más personas tengamos mejor.

Costos de vivienda: ($150+ por persona, por día)Durante la grabación de este documental necesitamos lugar para dormir al igual que comida.

Costos para post-producciónLos costos de edición, las solicitudes para participar en festivales de cine y la distribución del mismo son costosas.

Para más información acerca de patrocinar y para donaciones favor de visitarnos en:www.tollarproductions.com