El Norte (1984): Cast, Ratings, Box Office & Plot
El Norte is a 1984 adventure thriller directed by Gregory Nava, starring Zaide Silvia Gutiérrez and David Villalpando. It runs 2 hours 21 minutes and earned $27,920 worldwide. It was nominated for 1 Oscar. Critics gave it 92% on Rotten Tomatoes and 75 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 7.7/10.
- Released
- Runtime
- 2h 21m (141 min)
- Director
- Gregory Nava
- Original language
-
English - Studio
- Cinecom Pictures
- After the credits
- No No extra scene
What Is El Norte About?
The premise of El Norte without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.
Rosa and Enrique, teenage siblings, are forced to flee their Guatemalan village after it's torn apart by violence and military oppression. They undertake a dangerous journey north, hoping to reach the United States and build a new life. Along the way, they meet a varied group of people and face numerous hardships while striving to reach Los Angeles and confront the realities of undocumented immigration.
El Norte Themes & Keywords
· 50 tags- guatemala
- national film registry
- u.s. mexico border
- f rated
- family relationships
- english as a second language
- tijuana mexico
- guatemalan
- loss of sister
- loss of parents
- sewer
- mexico
+38 more Show fewer
- usa as promised land
- race relations
- motel
- los angeles california
- san diego california
- restaurant
- hospital
- brother sister relationship
- central america
- independent film
- travel
- social commentary
- day laborer
- immigration raid
- co written by director
- desert adventure
- urban adventure
- quest adventure
- domestic drama
- survival adventure
- undocumented worker
- mayan
- latin american cinema
- fashion designer
- abuse of illegal immigrants
- immigrant as protagonist
- magical realism
- typhoid fever
- busboy
- housecleaner
- social drama
- political persecution
- daydream
- bell
- toilet
- rat
- deathbed
- profanity
El Norte Cast
Zaide Silvia Gutiérrez leads the cast, with David Villalpando. Directed by Gregory Nava.
- Director Gregory Nava
More from Gregory Nava
More films directed by Gregory Nava, best-rated first: Selena, Bordertown, Why Do Fools Fall In Love and My Family.
El Norte Reviews & Ratings
Critics gave El Norte 92% on Rotten Tomatoes and 75 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 7.7/10.
-
IMDb 7.7 /10
See on IMDb -
Rotten Tomatoes 92% Tomatometer
Popcornmeter 82%
See on Rotten Tomatoes -
Metacritic 75 Metascore
User score 7.5
See on Metacritic
El Norte Plot Summary
What happens in El Norte from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 15 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 3-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
Part 1: Arturo Xuncax
Full summary
The whole story of El Norte, scene by scene
El Norte Box Office
El Norte grossed $27,920 worldwide.
Worldwide gross
$27.9K
- US & Canada
- $27.9K
El Norte Awards & Nominations
El Norte was nominated for 1 Oscar.
1 nomination1 ceremony
-
Oscars 1985 1 nomination- Nominated Writing (Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen)
El Norte Trailers & Videos
2 videos: 1 trailer and 1 featurette.
- Featurette Meet the Artist 2025: Gregory Nava on “El Norte”
How Well Do You Know El Norte?
10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.
Question 1 of 10
- Question 1: not answered
- Question 2: not answered
- Question 3: not answered
- Question 4: not answered
- Question 5: not answered
- Question 6: not answered
- Question 7: not answered
- Question 8: not answered
- Question 9: not answered
- Question 10: not answered
What profession does Arturo hold in Guatemala?
El Norte Also Known As
5 alternative titles, including “The North” and “北方”.
- Also known as
-
- The North
- 北方
- Pako pohjoiseen
- エル・ノルテ／約束の地
- Север
Seen El Norte?
Movies Like El Norte
Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including Northless, Sin Nombre and The Golden Dream.
El Norte FAQ: Cast, Box Office & Awards
Runtime, release date, director, cast, box office, ratings, awards and post-credit scenes of El Norte, each answered in a sentence.
How long is El Norte?
El Norte runs 2 hours 21 minutes (141 minutes).
When was El Norte released?
El Norte was released on January 27, 1984.
Who directed El Norte?
El Norte was directed by Gregory Nava.
More films by Gregory Nava Who is in the cast of El Norte?
El Norte stars Zaide Silvia Gutiérrez and David Villalpando.
How much did El Norte make at the box office?
El Norte grossed $27,920 worldwide.
How is El Norte rated?
El Norte has 7.7/10 on IMDb, 92% on Rotten Tomatoes and 75 on Metacritic.
Was El Norte nominated for any awards?
El Norte received 1 nomination across 1 ceremony.
Does El Norte have a post-credit scene?
No. El Norte has no extra scene during or after the credits.
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