The immigration dilemma sets the background for Director Jim McKay’s new drama, En El Séptimo Dia (On the Seventh Day).
McKay’s film examines the plight of undocumented immigrants by focusing in on a pivotal week in the life of José, a delivery man who works a bland job at a Brooklyn restaurant. He and his equally hardworking roommates from Mexico — all of whom live in a single crowded apartment — work long hours six days a week trying to survive and make it in America. But every Sunday José and his pals take their only pleasures vying for the top spot in their neighborhood soccer league. When his boss demands he work on the same Sunday his team is scheduled to play in the championship finals, José is trapped between his demands as team captain and the reality that his job may be the only avenue to getting his papers and bringing his pregnant wife to the USA.
Following the DGA membership screening in New York on June 28, McKay sat down with Director Rebecca Miller (Maggie’s Plan) to discuss the making of En el Séptimo Día.
In addition to En el Séptimo Día, McKay’s credits include the feature films Girls Town, Our Song and Everyday People; the movie for television Angel; and episodes of the series The Wire, Big Love, Law & Order, In Treatment, Treme, Mr. Robot, The Good Wife and The Good Fight. McKay has been a DGA member since 2003 and currently serves on the Eastern Directors Council.
You can listen to McKay's Q&A by clicking the podcast episode embedded below. You can find more DGA podcast episodes here.