Utah documentary focused on day laborers garners national Telly Award recognition

KEY TAKEAWAYS

"Jornalero: Una Mirada al Frente" won a bronze Telly Award for social impact.
The documentary highlights the struggles faced by Utah's day laborers, largely immigrants from Latin America.
Pablo Tellechea said the message of the documentary centers on "condemning any kind of abuse, discrimination."

SALT LAKE CITY — A documentary focused on the day laborers of Utah, workers who seek landscaping and construction jobs, typically outside home improvement stores, has garnered national recognition.

"Jornalero: Una Mirada al Frente" garnered a bronze Telly Award in the "social impact" category, meant to recognize projects "that drive social change and awareness."

The 44-minute documentary, by independent journalist Pablo Tellechea and videographer Alejandra Quechol, offers a look at Utah's contingent of jornaleros, or day laborers in English, and the everyday struggles they face. Many come from Latin America, and many are in the country illegally, with the money they earn from landscaping and construction typically their primary source of income.

The recognition for the documentary, "Day Laborer: A Look Ahead" in English, comes amid the ongoing crackdown by the administration of President Donald Trump on immigrants in the country illegally, including day laborers. Day laborers in California were a big focus at least over the summer of the heightened federal efforts.

Tellechea, though, offered a dose of empathy to the community. The documentary points a finger at those who seek work from day laborers and don't pay them or who short-change them — a common issue.

"It is true that we are living through a moment of immigration crisis, and perhaps immigrants are in the public spotlight. But the message of this documentary about day laborers is one of condemning any kind of abuse, discrimination and crime committed against members of our society who are vulnerable to such harm," Tellechea said.

Rather than taking accolades, he said the Telly recognition "belongs to the entire community that understands the importance of condemning abuse and discrimination against vulnerable people."

The Telly Awards are meant to honor excellence in video and television "across all screens."

A documentary featuring Utah's population of day laborers, "Jornalero: Una Mirada al Frente," has been nationally recognized with a Telly Award. (Photo: Pablo Tellechea)

The Mexican Consulate of Salt Lake City and Artes de México en Utah, an art and cultural organization, sponsored creation of the documentary. The consulate on Friday is hosting a ceremony to recognize the Telly Award for the documentary

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