Of Corpses, Clothing, and Compassion: The Human Rights of Unidentified Deceased Migrants in Chus Gutiérrez’s <i>Retorno a Hansala</i> (2008)

ABSTRACT Articles 13, 14, and 15 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948) address migration, but they do not outline protocols for handling unidentified undocumented migrants who die in transit, nor does it provide procedures for repatriating unidentified bodies. The lack of universal regulations requiring states to abide by specific plans of action for dealing with these issues is a violation of human rights, for both the direct victims—those who die or go missing during their migration—and the indirect victims—their family members. Retorno a Hansala, directed by Chus Gutiérrez, draws attention to these predicaments. Seventeen undocumented migrants from Morocco drown while crossing the Mediterranean when their boat capsizes. A funeral parlor owner named Martín responds to the crisis with compassion. He repatriates the corpse of the sole identified decedent to Hansala, a village in Morocco where these undocumented migrants come from, and transports the clothing of the remaining unidentified corpses to attempt to identify them. Martín’s compassionate response is revealed in his perseverance in overcoming the obstacles he faces throughout the film. This article examines how corpses, clothing, and compassion intersect in Martín’s efforts to uphold the human rights of both the deceased and their families.