Film by UNCG Alum Brings Attention to Families Facing Deportation

Jose Luis Zarco, left, and Toby Shearer

A UNCG alum, his crew, and the subjects of his film got great news yesterday.

“From the Back of the Line,” a documentary about North Carolina families dealing with the threat of deportation, was shot, directed and edited by UNCG alum Toby Shearer (2011 B.A. Media Studies, English), with his two producing partners, Hannah Levinson and Armando Bellmas.

In an off-screen happy ending, a central subject of the film, Jose Luis Zarco, had a final court hearing yesterday, and was granted a Cancellation of Removal. This means he will get a green card and start down the path to citizenship.

Wake Forest University presents a free screening of the film tonight at 7 p.m. The film’s premiere on the UNCC campus drew an audience of 300. It has also screened for the Democratic Women of Cabarrus County, and was an official selection at the JoeDance Film Festival in Charlotte. The producers are organizing additional screenings.

“It actually feels really fantastic to have played a part in the outcome of this case,” said Shearer. “It’s fantastic to use the skills I learned at UNCG to participate and influence a great cause.”