Zoe Saldaña’s ‘Beyond Borders’ Is a Must-Watch Tribute to Her Dominican Grandmother Who Crossed Real Lines for a Better Life

 

By Tracyann Dunkley | Entertainment Must Watch

“Beyond Borders” is not just a film—it’s a visceral reckoning with the myth of escape and the illusion of safety. Zoe Saldaña’s portrayal of Esmee, a private dancer forced to flee after a harrowing act of self-defense, is raw, aching, and unforgettable. Her journey across the U.S.-Mexico border is not paved with hope but with desperation, danger, and the haunting realization that survival is not synonymous with salvation. 

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The film doesn’t romanticize migration—it exposes it. Every step Esmee takes is a gamble with fate, and every stranger she meets is a potential threat or lifeline. It’s a story that refuses to blink, even when the truth is unbearable.

What makes “Beyond Borders” even more gravitational is the quiet tribute woven into its soul—Argentina Cesse, Saldaña’s Dominican grandmother, whose legacy of sacrifice and resilience echoes through Esmee’s every breath. 

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Honored at the 2025 Oscars and Premios Soberano, Argentina’s name is more than a nod to heritage; it’s a symbol of the women who carry families on their backs, who cross borders not for glory but for survival. 

Zoe was honoured with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame she was joined by her sisters - Cisely and Mariel, her mother Asalia Nazario and her grandmother at the ceremony.

Saldaña has spoken of her grandmother’s strength, and in this role, she channels it—fierce, vulnerable, and unflinching. The film becomes a love letter to those who came before, and a mirror to those still fighting for a life they were promised but never guaranteed.

This role was about honoring the women who cross borders with nothing but hope and grit. For me, that starts with my grandmother, Argentina Cesse

“Beyond Borders” dares to ask: what happens after the crossing? It’s a question too often ignored in narratives of migration. Esmee’s story is not one of triumph, but of endurance. It reminds us that the border is not a finish line—it’s a threshold into another kind of struggle. 

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For many, like Esmee, the dream of a better life is shadowed by exploitation, isolation, and fear. This film doesn’t offer easy answers. Instead, it offers truth. And in doing so, it honors every immigrant who has ever risked everything, only to find that survival is just the beginning.

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