Utah filmmakers highlight rural Utah mechanic in award-winning film

MORONI, Sanpete County — An award-winning documentary detailing the unique story of an immigrant mechanic from a small town in rural Utah almost made it to the short list for the Oscars this year.

Jorge Ramirez was born in Mexico City. As a kid, he slowly saved up money to create a bike, piece by piece. When his dad came home one day and said they were moving to Utah, the only thing he brought with him was his bike.

"It was hard to move up here. Back then, I didn't speak the language. The first thing my dad says is you're going to school," he said. "Almost 40 years later, I'm still here."

Ramirez enjoyed fixing cars at his father's mechanic shop in Mexico, and so it only made sense for him to continue those skills once in Utah. With automotive repair in his blood, Ramirez now runs Ramirez Auto Body in Moroni, Sanpete County.

"Regardless of your background or where you come from, if you follow your passion, it will take you somewhere," he said.

Utah filmmakers Carly and Jared Jakins created "Rat Rod," a short film that features the discrimination and challenges Ramirez faced growing up in rural Utah as one of the only Mexicans in the area.

Ramirez explains in the documentary that building a rat rod involves giving old car parts new life in a vehicle. He compared it to his experience of coming to the U.S., feeling as if he were being reborn into a new life.

"It can be hard as an immigrant to find your place, especially outside of a big city, but it's worth working through the problems," Ramirez says in the film.

Carly Jakins first got the idea for the film while teaching at a local elementary school and was shocked when a student said a Mexican American artist couldn't be American because she was brown.

"Hearing that just sparked some action on our part. We wanted to make something for our local community that they could feel and hear more stories of amazing people, of immigrants in their own community," she said.

Jared Jakins had known the Ramirez family for a long time, as they were both immigrants who ended up in the small town of Fountain Green; the Jakins family came from South Africa.

"We should try and highlight some individuals in our community that are immigrants, or that don't look like the typical farming family in this area. So we called up Jorge and said, 'Can we come spend time with you and make a portrait about your life?' And he shared some amazing stories with us," Jared Jakins said.

The Jakins said it was an honor to work with Ramirez and be trusted with his story that they wanted to put into film.

"One thing Jorge says in the film that I love is he says he wanted to show people he could build something. On one level, he's talking about these amazing rat rods he builds from scratch, but also it taps into the idea that as immigrants, you just want to show people that you have value and you have something to contribute," Jared Jakins said.

"Rat Rod" won at the Seattle International Film Festival and Nashville International Film Festival in 2025, qualifying it twice to be put on the long list for the Academy Awards. "Rat Rod" remained in the competitive game, clinching a spot in the top 100 films as submissions were narrowed down, before it was ultimately not chosen for the final short list for the Oscars.

The Jakins said it was a great experience that helped them learn a lot about filmmaking. Making it so far in the Academy Award decision process helped the film gain more exposure, and even actor Wilmer Valderrama signed on as an executive producer to help promote the film.

"I think it's just exceedingly rare that this sort of thing is coming out of Sanpete County, and it's gaining national exposure," Jared Jakins said. "We're sort of still a little bit stunned by what we were able to make together, and Jorge's generosity in giving his time and everything to the story."

Ramirez's story comes at a time when immigration has become a massive point of contention in the country. But the filmmakers hope "Rat Rod" can help others understand the experiences of immigrants better.

"I don't think it will change things around, but it will put into people's minds the perspective of what things actually are," Ramirez said.

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