Migrant Films
Compiled by Mark McGregor.
Sources: Murthy Law Firm, The California Council for the Humanities
Which Way Home (2009) – A 90 minute documentary follows unaccompanied immigrant children who daringly ride Mexican freight trains to get to the United States. Director Rebecca Cammisa brings the lives of children out of the shadows as they live through dangerous journeys, mean police and treacherous circumstances. The courage and resilience of the youth is remarkable in the face of so many harrowing moments and difficulties.
Emilio (2009) – When the younger sister of Emilio is kidnapped, this 19 year-old leaves his Mexican village to bring her back from Los Angeles. As Emilio frantically searches the neighborhoods and streets of L.A., he encounters gangs, drug dealers, day laborers and actors. Director Kim Jorgenson tells both a dramatic tale of a brother’s love for his sister and a coming of age story.
Frozen River (2008) - In a powerful story set on the U.S. Canadian border, Courtney Hunt’s directorial debut won awards at many film festivals, including the Sundance’s Grand Jury Prize. Hunt’s script and Melissa Leo’s leading role also garnered Academy Awarded nominations. On a Mohawk reservation in upstate New York single moms, played by Leo and Misty Upham, smuggle immigrants from Canada across the frozen St. Lawrence River. The economic plight that drives these two women underscores the grim economic signs of the times for immigrants and citizen.
The Visitor (2008) Tom McCarthy directed The Station Agent and now has directed another poignant film. This story is of a college professor who lives in Connecticut and who also has a New York City apartment that he has not been to since his wife’s death. He goes and finds an immigrant couple living in his apartment. Instead of turning them in or turning them out, he begins a new life. Dramatic turns bring the US immigration system into their lives.
La Misma Luna – Under the Same Moon (2008) An immigrant family story written by Ligiah Villalobos and directed by Patricia Riggen. Carlos is 9 and lives in Mexico with his grandmother; his mother lives in Los Angeles, cleaning homes. Carlos makes his way across the border to reunite with his mother. A tender tearjerker which is full of many wonderful performances, including Eugenio Derbez (one of Mexico’s best-known actors), Los Tigres del Norte, America Ferrera.
Sangre de mi Sangre (2008) Entitled Padro Nuestro when it won great acclaim at Sundance in 2007, this film is a story of an unaccompanied immigrant youth. Written and directed by Christopher Zalla, the story is about Juan and Pedro’s intertwined journeys. They meet on a truck carrying immigrants from Mexico to New York. Pedro, in search of a father he has never known, shows Juan a letter of introduction that his deceased mother had written. Once in New York, Pedro wakes to discover that Juan has vanished with his it’s about identity, and the search for family love, especially of a boy’s desire to know and be loved by his father.
A Slim Peace (2007) U.K. director Yael Luttwak follows 14 women in the West Bank – Israelis, Palestinians, Bedouin Arabs, and American settlers – who have the shared goal of losing weight. This universal struggle is no less important and no less personal in a land of perpetual conflict. Their common goal shows them that they have far more in common than they would have believed. Premièred at the 2007 Tribeca Film Festival.
32nd Street (2007) Premièred at the 2007 Tribeca Film Festival, this film is directed by Michael Kang; written by Michael Kang and Edmund Lee. It is the story of an ambitious young attorney who pushes his way onto a homicide case and infiltrates New York’s Korean syndicate.
Forging a Nation (2007) Director David Blaustein retraced the steps of his Jewish ancestors accompanied by his mother and a host of extended family. Having fled Europe in the 1920s, hoping for a bright future in Argentina, the journey of the film becomes an exploration of the many people and the many factors that joined to build Argentina.
Beyond Belief (2007) this documentary premiered at the 2007 Tribeca Film Festival is the story of two amazing women who lost their husbands in 9/11. Greif is turned to action as they are compelled to travel to Kabul to help women the who are widowed there.
The Price of Sugar (2007) The 90 minute documentary narrated by Paul Newman tells the story of Haitian immigrants in the Dominican Republic and a Catholic priest who defends their human rights. On an island with tourist beaches Director Bill Haney shows how horribly Haitians are treated and the courageous Fr. Christopher Hartley, a Spanish priest.
Miss Universe 1929 (2007) Director Peter Forgacs (El Parro Negro, 2005) returns to Tribeca with this true story of Marci Tenczer, amateur filmmaker, who, smitten with his cousin, follows her from her modest Austrian roots to her crowning as the first Miss Universe at a pageant in Texas. Her rise coincides with that of Adolf Hitler, who turns the universe upside-down.
Mississippi Chicken (2007) Director John Fiege Questions of race and workers’ rights form the crux of this documentary about Latin American immigrants in rural Mississippi. There are jobs at poultry plants, but little else.
Never Forever (2007) this film from the Sundance film festival is about a biracial American couple. When the woman is unable to conceive, she boldly begins a relationship with an illegal immigrant from Korea. This film has been praised for its art direction and costume design. Writer / director Gina Kim has also received accolades for her abilities.
Posada (2007), Directed by Mark McGregor. This documentary tells the story of three unaccompanied immigrant minors who travel to the U.S. and of a fourth youth, deported to Mexico after growing up in the U.S. The three boys are arrested by U.S. authorities and go through legal proceedings to stay in the U.S. Posada relates their journey to the Mexican Christmas procession called Las Posadas. In 2005 over 110,000 unaccompanied immigrants children were picked up by the U.S. Border, and nearly 8,000 held in the U.S.
Babel (2006) Alejandro González Iñárritu, director. Nominated for Best Picture and 6 other categories by the Academy Awards, including Adriana Barraza and Rinko Kikuchi, both for Best Supporting Actress. Babel has four storylines about people, united in their own grief and hope, which literally and figuratively cross borders on different continents. The stellar cast includes Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett and Gael Garcia Bernal – all who turn in great performances.
God Grew Tired of Us (2006) The film follows three Sudanese boys, refugees from Sudan’s bloody civil war, as they try to adjust to life in the U.S. Coming from unspeakable conditions, young witnesses of unspeakable horrors, their honesty and goodness is unquestionable. And so the question raised is, “What conditions create a civilized society?” Directed by Christopher Quinn.
In Between Days (2006) this is a coming-of-age film about a Korean American teenager, though it is more than that and not easily categorized, exploring many facets of humanity, relationships, and communication. Directed by So Yong Kim.
Game 6 (2005) this is a quietly brilliant little film about a Broadway playwright, Nicky Rogan (Michael Keaton), whose opening night coincides during Game 6 of the 1986 World Series between the New York Mets and the Boston Red Sox. Robert Downey, Jr. is the loathsome critic who is about to plunge Nicky’s career into the toilet. The immigrant connection comes in with each taxi ride, and is a wonderful element of the film. This is a story about connections. Connecting over the theatre. Connection over taxis. And, largely, connecting over baseball.
The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada (2005) Tommy Lee Jones (Men in Black 1997) stars in and directs this unusual movie about promises, both kept and broken, and redemption. The truest expression of love in the film is between Texas cowboy, Pete (Jones), and his best friend, Melquiades (Julio Cesar Cedillo), who has illegally crossed the border for work.
Sweet Land (2006) Based on Will Weaver’s short story, “A Grave Made of Wheat,” Sweet Land is a flashback to 1920s Minnesota, when Lars Torvik’s grandparents met on their wedding day that wasn’t. It is a story of love and trial and strength of will and prejudice. It is the story of how the American heartland was settled by immigrants. Olaf and Inge represent the grandparents and great-grandparents of many Americans. Written and directed by Ali Salim, himself the son of first-generation immigrants.
La Tragedia de Macario (2005) Writer, director, editor Pablo Véliz brought this immigrant story to Sundance 2006 for its world premiere. In the title role, Rogelio Ramos is drawn to the U.S. to find a better life for his wife in this Spanish language film. Joined by his best friend, the two set out on the dangerous journey undertaken by so many each year. Véliz’s insight is the desperation that drives them and the spirituality that sustains them as they risk their lives.
Choking Man (2006) Director, Steve Barron. In the Queens neighborhood not far from the flight paths of JFK, this feature film is about a shy dish washer from Ecuador. The blend of magical realism and drama unfolds at the Olympic Diner.
The Namesake (2006) the much-anticipated film adaptation of Jhumpa Lahiri’s acclaimed novel by the same name. Directed by Mira Nair (Monsoon Wedding 2000), Kal Penn (Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle 2004) stars as Gogol in this tale of a first generation son of traditional, and Indian immigrant parents. As he tries to make a place for himself, not always able to straddle two worlds gracefully, he is surprised by what he learns about his family and himself.
Ghosts (2006) Director, Nick Broomfield. Based on a true story, it portrays the story of Ai Qin, a young Chinese girl from Fujian, borrows $25,000 to pay the Snakehead gang to smuggle her into the UK so she can support her son and family back in China. Once in the UK, she becomes another one of three million migrant workers that are the bedrock of its food supply chain, construction and hospitality industries. Running time: 96 minutes
The Invisible Mexicans of Deer Canyon (2006) Director, Juan Carlos Frey spent a year documenting Mexican migrants living in clandestine shacks in the midst of one of the most expensive real estate in America.
Fast Food Nation (2006) Writer/Director Richard Linklater (A Scanner Darkly 2006) brings this dramatization of the non-fiction book by Eric Schlosser to the big screen. A raw look at the impact the fast-food industry has on American life and culture – which cannot be portrayed without including undocumented workers.
Invisible Children (2006) Directors Laren Poole and Jason Russell have filmed the tales of children soldiers in Uganda in this documentary short.
El Inmigrante (2005) Directors David and John Eckenrode & John Sheedy’s documentary explores the death of Eusebio Haro, a Mexican immigrant who was shot and killed in rural Texas in 2000.
Dying to Live: A Migrant’s Journey (2005) Dan Groody, a Holy Cross priest and Notre Dame professor directs and has written a powerful documentary that puts a human face on Mexican migrants and why they leave their homelands for. A host of experts and theologians comment on globalization and migration. The United States Catholic Conference of Bishops adopted it as an educational resource.
DeNADIE (2005) this film comes from Mexico and follows the path traced by many leaving South and Central America bound for freedoms and opportunities too basic to be rightfully exclusive. A filmmaking neophyte, Tin Dirdamal approaches the medium with the sensitivity and skill of a veteran, drawing us into the oft-told story of immigrant hardships, presenting it in a way that makes it more real and personal than we possibly could have understood before.
Everything is Illuminated (2005) Liev Schreiber writes and directs this quirky film adaptation of the novel by Jonathan Safran Foer, in which a young Ukrainian man, Alex (Eugene Hutz) and his grandfather (Boris Leskin) forge an unlikely alliance with Jonathan Safran Foer (Yes, our hero has the same name as the novel’s author.). Jonathan (Elijah Wood) is a young American Jew on a pilgrimage to the small village from which his grandfather escaped, in search of the woman whom the family believes saved their patriarch from the Nazis. Jonathan is not the only one who finds something on this journey, however.
Crossing Arizona (2005) a documentary presented at the 2006 Sundance Film Festival, this film explores escalating tensions over illegal immigration at their epicenter – the Arizona / Sonora border. Human rights, national security, class, and culture are explored through the personal experiences of the locals on both sides of the border in this balanced look at the issues. Directed by Joseph Mathew.
Night of Henna (2005) a film by Hassin Zee that takes place in San Francisco, this independent production is about Hava (Pooja Kumar), who has returned to the United States after a traditional upbringing in Pakistan. At the very time when her eyes are opened to the possibilities of life, those possibilities are threatened by her impending, arranged marriage. Zee is a true Renaissance man, preferring to write, direct, and produce films rather than make a career that uses his doctoral degree in medicine.
Sueño (2005) this was the directorial debut of Renee Chabria, who also wrote the screenplay. A young man (John Leguizamo) with musical aspirations leaves Mexico to realize his dreams of success in America. There he meets Mirabella (Elizabeth Peña) and Nina (Ana Claudia Talancón), and finds himself in a love triangle.
The Keeper : The Legend of Omar Khayyam (2005) A young boy, Kamran, learns that the 11th century Persian poet was his ancestor. It becomes his responsibility to keep the oral history of his family alive. This is the first film of Iranian-American director Kayvan Mashayekh. A newcomer to the filmmaking industry, having left his career as a lawyer in Houston. Mashayekh was researching locations abroad on September 11, 2001, making the financing and creation of this film all the more difficult.
If Turtles Can Fly (2005) Director Bahman Ghobadi. On the Turkish-Iraqi border a 13 year-old refugee awaits the fall of Saddam Hussein.
Romántico (2005) this is a tale of two Mariachi musicians who come to San Francisco, trying to make a better life for themselves and scrape out a living. Eventually, Carmelo Sanchez has to return to Mexico to care for his ailing mother. Directed by Mark Becker.
Maid in Lebanon (2005) Director Carole Mansour. This documentary is about migrant domestic workers, mainly from Sri Lanka, who leave their home countries to make enough money to support their families. What they find upon arrival in Lebanon is not always what they expected. Funded by Caritas, the Netherlands Embassy, and the International Labor Organization, with the support of the U.N. Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, it was shot in Sri Lanka and Lebanon.
Quinceañera (2005) Wash Westmoreland and Richard Glatzer wrote and directed this look into the life of an unconventional family and their Los Angeles neighborhood, threatened by urban development, generally passed with windows up and doors locked
Innocent (2005) Directed by Simon Chung. Eric, a 17 year old, immigrates with his parents from Hong Kong to Canada, only he does not know the family vacation is really a move to North America. The story is a coming-of-age film as Eric discovers his own gay sexual orientation and deals with the rejections associated with his sexual and immigrant identities.
Mojados: Through the Night (2004) Documentarian Tommy Davis meets and follows four Mexicans who leave their homeland in search of work in the US. A spark of the personal journeys of the migrants is captured.
The Beautiful Country (2004) Directed by Hans Petter Moland this feature tells the story of Binh, born in Vietnam of a Vietnamese mother and American father. Not accepted in his homeland, Binh flees with him brother after an unfortunate accident. The film follows their escape, time in a Malaysian refugee detention center and new life in America. Nick Nolte and Tim Roth have small roles.
Endless Exodus (2004) Gerry Straub has created a documentary film that is a meditation on migration. It focuses on migrants from Mexico and Central America who cross the border and enter California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas without any documentation. The film hopes to shed light on the life of the poor in order to help you better understand why they are forced to leave their homes and countries for a back-breaking, low-paying job in a foreign land whose culture is dramatically different from theirs.
Saving Face (2004) Written and directed by Alice Wu, this is the story of a lesbian, Chinese-American doctor in Manhattan and her pregnant, unmarried mother. It is a film that faces taboos and the clash between first and 2nd generation immigrants with a loving look at this mother-daughter relationship. (Michelle Krusiec, Joan Chen, and Lynn Chen)
Spanglish (2004) Mexican mother, Flor (Paz Vega), enters the U.S. with her young daughter seeking a better life. When she accepts a position as a domestic with an American family it becomes very difficult to maintain her privacy and distance. A story about assimilation, this film provides lessons on tolerance for the misguided but good intentions of immigrants as well as the Americans who employ and/or befriend them.
Bride and Prejudice (2004) A Bollywood twist on Jane Austin’s classic novel Pride and Prejudice, the conflict between Darcy (Martin Henderson) and Lalitha (Aishwarya Rai) is cross-cultural as she makes a choice between the man she wants and the man her mother wants for her.
Maria Full of Grace (Maria Ilena eres de Gracia) (2004) this film is billed as not being based on a true story, yet it is something that happens everyday. Maria Alvarez (Catalina Sandino Moreno) lives a modest life in a rural area outside Bogotá, Colombia. At 17, her work and her life seem futureless, but Maria’s nature is strong and assertive. She meets Franklin (Jhon Alex Toro) at a party. He is stylish and charismatic and tempts Maria with talk of work involving adventure and travel to America. So Maria becomes a mule in the dangerous drug underworld. Joshua Marston (Bus to Queens 1999) directed this film.
The Terminal (2004) This Steven Spielberg (Saving Private Ryan 1998, Schindler’s List 1994) film is about an eastern European man, played by Tom Hanks (Forrest Gump 1995, Philadelphia 1994) on his way to New York when his homeland is overthrown in a coup. He arrives at Kennedy Airport as a man without a country, without a valid passport.
A Day Without a Mexican (2004) One third of the population of California is Latinos, Hispanics, and Mexicans. How would it change life for the state’s other residents if this portion of the populous was suddenly not there? Director Sergio Arau calls his film a “mockumentary.” Yareli Arizmendi, married to Arau, co-wrote and stars in the film. She says it is their hope that lawmakers and moviegoers will recognize the valuable contributions made everyday by Latinos.
The Gatekeeper (2004) Mexican American John Carlos Frey wrote, directed, and starred in this film about a U.S. Customs and Border Patrol agent who turns vigilante and goes undercover to pursue those he sees as “undesirables” crossing the U.S. border from Mexico. Things go very wrong when he is caught in the midst of a Central American drug ring, surrounded by those he has hated. But Frey’s character begins to see the people as individuals with families and the desire for a sense of ‘home.’ The most valuable lesson is, perhaps, that humanity knows no borders.
Lost Boys of Sudan (2003) this award-winning documentary by Megan Mylan and John Shenk follows two of the many children who were among an estimated twenty thousand forced from their homes and families by the 1987 civil war in southern Sudan. Most were only six or seven years old when their journey began. Of those who survived to reach the refugee camp in Kenya, almost 4,000 were resettled in the U.S. to further their educations. This is the story of two of those boys.
In America (2003) Nominated for 3 Academy Awards, this is the story of a modern-day Irish family who crosses the Canadian border, headed for New York in a struggle to shake off their nightmares in search of their American dreams. While it may not be wealth and success that they find, there is a neighbor who gives them friendship and helps them to finally attain peace. Writer / director Jim Sheridan (In the Name of the Father 1993, and My Left Foot 1989) needed to look no further than his own childhood for inspiration for this film.
Dirty Pretty Things (2003) this is a thriller is about a gruesome underworld in London preying on the fear and desperation of immigrants. Directed by Steven Frears (My Beautiful Launderette 1985), the story centers around a Nigerian immigrant, Okwe (Chiwetel Ejiofor), who drives a cab by day and works in a hotel by night and the young Turkish woman (Audrey Tautou) he befriends. Okwe discovers the ghoulish black market, putting their lives in danger.
House of Sand and Fog (2003) Debut for Vadim Perelman is a gripping drama in which Sir Ben Kingsley (Gandhi 1982) plays a proud Iranian colonel living a lie, when he finds an opportunity to improve things for his family by purchasing a home being sold at auction. But Jennifer Connelly (A Beautiful Mind 2001) is losing her home – the last shred of hope in her life – through a bureaucratic error, and she will not go down without a fight. It is a story of the American Dream spinning out of control.
Green Card Fever (2003) From new director Bala Rajasekharuni, this is the story of a young immigrant, played by Vikram Dasu, from India who overstays his U.S. visa. Forced to decide who he can trust, he becomes emboldened when he learns that in America, if you want something, you sue somebody for it!
Flavors (2003) Written and Directed by software professionals Krishna D.K. and Raj Nidimoru, who have a talent for dialog, Flavors is not a big budget film by the standards of Hollywood or Bollywood. It was noticed by Variety, however, and that is saying something! The two also made Shaadi.com in 2001, in which each makes an appearance in front of the camera.
Pieces of April (2003) While not central to the plot, the immigrant neighbors of April (Katie Holmes) help to save the day when her stove breaks on Thanksgiving. She tells them the story of the first Thanksgiving and the spirit of the day prevails in this off-beat independent film with Patricia Clarkson and Oliver Pratt, directed by Peter Hedges (About a Boy 2003 and What’s Eating Gilbert Grape 1992).
Lana’s Rain (2003) Directed by Michael Ojeda, Ukrainian born actress Oksana Orlenko makes her American film debut in the title role which won her a Best Actress award in the Milan International Film Festival. Clinging to the only family she has left, Lana accompanies her brother, Darko (Nickolai Stoilov) to the U.S., leaving Croatia following the Balkan Wars. Darko has survived through criminal activity in Eastern Europe and this is all he knows. But Lana wants simple things and a new life in America.
The Guru (2002) Ramu (Jimi Mistry) is a dance instructor in the U.K. who decides he is going to America to pursue the American dream. A fan of American movies since childhood, Ramu’s goal is to become a film star. Through his own naiveté and a series of coincidences, he fills in for an old guru at a party attended by the rich and famous and becomes famous as a sex guru. Directed by Daisy von Scherler Mayer with Marisa Tomei and Heather Graham .
Spellbound (2002) it is about the 1999 National Spelling Bee championship competition in Washington D.C. Dry subject? Not in the masterful hands of director Jeffrey Blitz. The film celebrates the diversity of America through the children competing and their families who support them. Of the eight finalists, three are from immigrant families. The competitors are old enough to have rich and individual personalities, yet still young enough that they are not afraid to show themselves as who they really are.
Gangs of New York (2002) Martin Scorsese’s (The Last Temptation of Christ 1988, Goodfellas 1990) epic film starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Cameron Diaz, and Daniel Day Lewis , depicting the ruthlessness and the division in a 19th century New York between those who were here and the Irish trying to make room for themselves. It is a story of deep-seeded revenge.
Real Women Have Curves (2002) Ana has graduated from her East Los Angeles high school and won a full scholarship to Columbia University. Rather than support her own dreams, however, Ana’s Mexican American parents believe it is time for her to work and help to support the family. Spending the summer working in a sewing factory with other Chicanas, Ana learns a respect for these women and what is essential for her to make her own way in the world.
Bend it Like Beckham (2002) This delight, directed by Gurinder Chadha (A Nice Arrangement 1994), is the story of Jesminder Bhamra (Parminder Nagra), daughter of strict Indian Sikh immigrants living in the U.K. Jess is a very gifted football, or soccer, player. Unfortunately, her parents are less than thrilled by this!
My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002) An independent film directed by Joel Zwick. Toula is the dutiful daughter, 30 years old and working in the family-owned Greek diner. She meets and falls in love with Ian Miller – not the nice Greek boy her family had in mind for her! How far are Toula and Ian willing to go to make a marriage her family can live with?
ABCD (2001) Starring the acclaimed actress (and author of numerous books on Indian cooking), Madhur Jaffrey (Shakespeare Wallah 1965), as a widow trying to reconcile the decision made decades earlier to move to the United States. It is a story experienced by the children of immigrants the world over. They know no country so well as the one in which they have grown up, but don’t feel connected to it or to the country from which their parents came. They are adrift between cultures.
The Immigrant Garden (2001) The story behind this film reads like a screenplay, itself. It is a pet, independent project of retired Hollywood film producer, C. Tad Devlin (When a Man Loves a Woman 1994), who left Hollywood for life in the small community of Chehalis, WA. This is the story of a correspondence and friendship between two gardeners – young Cecily in rural Washington and the 80-year-old Mrs. Beauchamp in England. The story is rich in character because its characters are rich, discovering themselves and understanding others.
Monsoon Wedding (2000) Family members gather from all over for the wedding of Adita (Vasundhara Das) and Hemant (Parveen Dabaas). But painful memories of a family secret surface for cousin Ria (Shefali Shetty) with the arrival of a revered uncle (Rajat Kapoor) who now lives in the U.S.
Bread and Roses (2000) The struggle for fair and just working conditions in the United States has existed as long as there has been one group who would take advantage of the desperation and fear of another. This film from director Ken Loach (The Wind that Shakes the Barley 2006) is the story of two sisters who work as janitors. As undocumented workers from Mexico, they endure hardship and abuses. When a young man (Adrien Brody) comes around attempting to unionize workers, the issue divides them – while dividing Maya and Rosa, as well.
Tortilla Soup (2000) It is a story that has been told and will continue to be retold with every new generation and every culture that immigrates to the U.S. Hector Elizondo (Pretty Woman 1990) shines as the Mexican- American patriarch in this successful adaptation of Eat Drink Man Woman 1994, which told a part of the story from the Chinese perspective. It is the tale of a father, his daughters, and the men in their lives. As with every culture, especially when transplanted to another country, food plays a very important part in cultural identity and connections. Directed by Maria Ripoll.
Do££ar Dream$ (2000) This chord rings familiar with many, as director Sekhar Kammula, tells the tale of a group of friends, answering the big question – whether or not to go to the U.S. to make a lot of money. One in the group drops her studies to actively pursue their responses.
Catfish in Black Bean Sauce (1999) Directed by Chi Moui Lo, who also starred in the film, this is the story of Vietnamese siblings, Dwayne (Lo) and Mai (Lauren Tom), who were adopted by an AfricanAmerican couple (Paul Winfield and Mary Alice) in the U.S. Dwayne is engaged and has adjusted well to his American life. Mai, however, was older when she left Vietnam. She has memories of her birth mother and is driven to search for her.
La Ciudad (The City) (1999) This award-winning documentary by writer / filmmaker David Riker played to sold-out crowds in the New York art houses when it opened. It is a series of four shorts Riker began making in 1992 about Mexican workers who come to Manhattan – filled with the American dream but also afraid of the City. Filmed in black and white, the photography has been compared to socially conscious artists such as Dorothea Lange and Walker Evans.
East is East (1999) George and Ella Khan (played by Om Puri and Linda Bassett) have seven children and lead a modest but happy life as owners of a fish-and-chip shop in Salford, UK. Trouble begins when George, a Pakistani-born Muslim, begins arranging marriages for his sons. The children want to be British, their British mother wants to meld the two cultures into a cohesive home for her family. It is not an unfamiliar tale. Directed by Damien O’Donnell (Inside I’m Dancing – aka Rory O’Shea Was Here 2004).
Dragon (1998) Rob Cohen, director. Jason Scott Lee portrays martial arts and film legend Bruce Lee in this bio pic. If portrays Lee’s journey from martial arts training to opening a kung-fu school in America to his discovery by a Hollywood producer, played by Robert Wagner.
Hyderabad Blues (1998) Directorial debut from 28-year-old chemical engineer Nagesh Kukunoor, this film shows that the confusion of ABCDs exists, not only in their fitting into American culture, but also when they return to India after growing up in the U.S. Produced largely with amateurs on a modest budget, Hyderabad Blues is a romantic comedy that thoroughly entertains and also presents some thought-provoking questions.
The Journey (1997) Acclaimed painter-turned-writer / director, Harish Saluja tells the story of an Indian gentleman who comes to visit his son’s (Antony Zaki) family in Pittsburg for, what becomes, an extended stay. Played by Roshan Seth (Monsoon Wedding 2000), the elderly visitor has difficulty understanding his American daughter-in-law (Carrie Preston). But he tries to fit into their lives, helping out when he can or simply stepping aside when that seems the better thing to do. This is a movie about cultural clashes and coming to feel comfortable in two very different worlds.
Big Night (1996) Directed by Stanley Tucci and Campbell Scott. A delightful story of two Italian brothers who have emigrated to America and try to make a go of their restaurant “Paradiso.” Primo is the perfectionistic chef whose cuisine is art; Secondo is the smooth host who is the restaurant’s businessman. To keep from being foreclosed on by the bank, Secondo turns to Pascal, owner of a disgustingly successful Italian place up the street. Pascal says that he will arrange for jazz singer Louie Prima and band to come for one big night.
Lone Star (1996) Writer / Director John Sayles (The Secret of Roan Inish 1994, Brother from Another Planet 1984) masterfully blends one part Western, one part murder mystery, and one part love story to create this tale of life in a small Texas border town, topped off with Mexicans crossing the river under cover of night. When the remains of the former sheriff are discovered, the current sheriff, Sam, played by Chris Cooper (Adaptation 2002), must solve the murder of his own father. What he discovers leads to a web of lies and corruption that touches everyone – including Sam’s high school sweetheart, Pilar, played by Elizabeth Pena (Tortilla Soup 2000).
French Kiss (1995) Providing a different point of view Kate an American emigrant. Kate is becoming a Canadian citizen because she is marrying Charlie ( Timothy Hutton), a Canadian. But Charlie goes to Paris for a medical convention, where he meets Juliet (Susan Anbeh). He breaks his engagement to Kate, who flies to Paris to win Charlie back. But on the way, she meets French boorish bad boy, Luc (Kevin Klein). After losing her passport when she was not supposed to leave Canada while her citizenship was pending, Kate finds herself “without country” and she and Luc strike a bargain to get what each of them wants most. Lawrence Kasden directs.
AKA Don Bonus (National Asian American Telecommunications Association, 1995)
Directed by Spencer Nakasako and Sokly Ny; Produced by Spencer Nakasako and Sokly Ny
Synopsis: Filmmaker Sokly Ny, a Cambodian refugee whose family came to America in the late 1970s to escape the Khmer Rouge, settled in Sunnyvale, Calif. This documentary, called a video self-portrait, shows the life that Ny, who called himself Don Bonus in high school, led in the United States. The clashes between Cambodian and American cultures, and the economic and racial issues that can divide or unite an immigrant family are illustrated through interviews and looks into Ny’s life.
The Perez Family (1995) Marisa Tomei (My Cousin Vinny 1992) is Dottie Perez, a young Cuban woman with dreams of America that include Rock & Roll and cowboys. Alfred Molina (Frida 2002) wants to be reunited with his wife (Angelica Houston), who is in America. But when they reach America as Cuban refugees, they are listed as married to one another, greatly complicating things for both of them. Directed by Mira Nair (Mississippi Masala).
My Family (1995) Directed and co-written by Gregory Nava (writer of El Norte 1984, Frida 2002), this film chronicles three generations of a Mexican American family. Beginning with the journey Jose Sanchez (Jacob Vargas) makes on foot to Los Angeles, the plot follows the family through their adjustment to life in America.
Oaxacalifornia (University of California, 1995)
Directed by Sylvia Stevens; Produced by Trisha Ziff; Running time: 57 minutes; MPAA rating: Not rated
Synopsis: This documentary examines the lives and cultural contrasts between the generations of Mexican-American families, by focusing on the Medjia family of Fresno, Calif. Externally, the Medjias seem to be an “all American family,” but their Jaltapic, Oaxaca, Mexico, heritage is never far from the surface, as this look at the daily life of the family reveals.
Mi Familia/My Family (New Line Cinema, 1995)
Directed by Gregory Nava; Produced by Francis Ford Coppola, Anna Thomas; Screenplay by Gregory Nava, Anna Thomas Synopsis: The film follows several decades in the lives of a Mexican-American couple as they go through life together, often facing poverty, prejudice, police brutality and family trials. As their children grow to adulthood, each takes a different path in life, and each reflects the changing atmosphere, opportunities and continued restrictions in Los Angeles’ Hispanic community from the 1940s through the 1990s.
…and the earth did not swallow him (American Playhouse, 1994)
Directed by Severo Perez; Directed by Paul Espinosa
Video Synopsis: Based on a semi-autobiographical novella by Tomas Rivera, this film produced for the PBS series American Playhouse dramatizes the relationship of a 12-year-old boy, the son of migrant Mexican-American workers, who travel throughout the Midwest seeking work. Despite the harshness of their life, the family’s strong bonds keep them together.
The Joy Luck Club (1993) Wayne Wang (Smoke 1995) directed this adaptation of Amy Tan’s bestselling novel. It is the story of four Chinese women who immigrated to the U.S. and their first-generation daughters. When one of the women dies, her daughter, June (Ming-Na) plays Mahjong with the older women and begins to really learn what her mother endured in China and of her sisters who were left behind.
Masala (1993) The first film by director Srinivas Krishna, this black comedy is told with eccentric characters. The story follows a young Indian man, played by Krishna, himself, who immigrates to Toronto after his family is killed in a plane crash. The film is rich in story, characters, and color.
The Wedding Banquet (1993) This comedy by Ang Lee (Sense and Sensibility 1995) is the story of a successful Taiwanese man (Winston Chao) in New York whose parents insist it is time he marry. Rather than confess to them that he is gay, he plans a fake marriage to a young artist (May Chin). She is interested only in the green card, but his parents want an elaborate banquet!
Heaven and Earth (1993) The final chapter of director Oliver Stone’s (Born on the Fourth of July 1989, Platoon 1986) trilogy on the Vietnam War, Heaven and Earth is about a soldier (Tommy Lee Jones) and the Vietnamese wife (Hiep Thi Le) he brings home. Though they have left Vietnam, the effects are far from behind them.
Combination Platter (1993) Presented at Cannes in 1993 for Tony Chen’s direction, this is his first American film, which is partly in English and partly in Cantonese and Mandarin with subtitles. The setting is a Chinese restaurant in Flushing, New York. Some employees are American-born Chinese (ABCs), some are from China, some are American. The story centers around Robert (Jeff Lau) who will do anything for his green card. Friends encourage him to marry a citizen, but he is not comfortable with non-Asian women.
Household Saints (1993) Through two short films, director Nancy Savoca (The 24 Hour Woman 2000) tells us the story of three generations of women in a post-World War II Little Italy, New York. Catherine Falconetti (Tracy Ullman) is forced into a loveless marriage to (Vincent D’Onofrio) Joseph Santangelo, complete with Mrs. Santangelo – the old-world mother-in-law. When the matriarch dies, Catherine ushers her family into a 20th century America, complete with bright colors and Tupperware. Their daughter Teresa (Lili Taylor), however, is not following her parents willingly. Steeped in the tradition of Catholicism, Teresa’s goal is sainthood.
Mississippi Masala (1992) Denzel Washington (Training Day 2001, The Hurricane 1999) and Sarita Choudhury (Kama Sutra: A Tale of Love 1996) star in this story of cross-cultural romance in the Deep South. She is the daughter of an Indian immigrant family who came to the U.S. by way of Uganda. He is the AfricanAmerican she runs into – literally. Directed by Mira Nair (Monsoon Wedding 2001).
The Mambo Kings (1992) Two musician brothers (Armand Assante and Antonio Banderas) decide to leave Cuba in the 1950s to break into the hot, Latin music scene in New York. Desi Arnez, Jr. plays his father in this film, which is but one real life example of the fact behind this work of fiction. In his first English-language role, Banderas did not yet speak any English, but learned his lines phonetically.
Far and Away (1992) Ron Howard (A Beautiful Mind 2001, Splash 1984) directed Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman in this film that manages to tell the story of both poor and wealthy immigrants from Ireland. While there was a distinct class separation when the two were in their homeland, upon reaching New York they were both despised as Irish. This is the story of their quest for the American dream.
Green Card (1990) Directed by Peter Weir (The Year of Living Dangerously 1982, Dead Poets Society 1989), this romantic comedy is about George (Gerard Depardieu) and Bronte (Andie MacDowell). He is from Paris and wants a green card. She is an American who needs a husband to qualify for the green house apartment of her dreams. When the INS gets involved, this is anything but a match made in heaven – or is it?
Avalon (1990) In this film, writer / director Barry Levinson (Rain Man 1988), chronicles a Jewish family that immigrates to the United States from Poland in pursuit of the American dream.
Uneasy Neighbors (1990) Directed by Paul Espinosa. This 1990s award-winning documentary profiles the relations between migrant worker camps and homeowners in north San Diego county, one of the richest and fastest-growing areas in the U.S. Here, sharing the same valleys, are homeowners concerned about property values and sanitation, and migrant workers living in conditions that most Americans expect only in the Third World. This documentary chronicles the life and death of the Green Valley camp, home to thousands of migrant workers.
Come See the Paradise (Twentieth Century-Fox, 1990). Directed by Alan Parker
Synopsis: At the outbreak of World War II, a loyal Japanese-American family living in Los Angeles is forced into a Japanese internment camp. The harshness of their lives in the camp is simultaneous to problems suffered by their Anglo son-in-law, a union organizer who cannot help his family and goes AWOL before the end of the war.
The Paper Wedding (1990) Made before, but released after Green Card, this is the story of a university professor (Genevieve Bujold) who marries a Chilean dissident (Manuel Aranguiz) as a favor to her sister who is an immigration lawyer. Directed by Michel Brault (Mon Amie Max 1994), everything seems simple and straight forward, until the immigration investigation begins. Now they must live together. With English subtitles.
Eat a Bowl of Tea (1989) Wayne Wong (Joy Luck Club 1993) directed this film about a young ChineseAmerican soldier (Russell Wong) who returns from WWII and is bullied by his father (Victor Wong) into an arranged marriage with a Chinese girl (Cora Miao). Wong’s film is about a search for ethnic identity.
Coming to America (1988) Eddie Murphy (Shrek 2001) and Arsenio Hall star in this hilarious film by director John Landis (Blues Brothers 2000). On his 21st birthday, the Prince of Zamunda is to marry a woman he has never met. Breaking with tradition, he chooses to come to America, in search of the love of his life.
The Milagro Beanfield War (1988) directed by Robert Redford. Redford uses a bit of magical realism in his comedic tale of a conflict over water uses by migrants, farmers and developers. A Chicano handyman sets off a clash of cultures.
Stand and Deliver (1988) This is the inspiring true story about an immigrant teacher working in his Hispanic community in L.A. To the credit of Jaime Escalante (Edward James Olmos) and his creative teaching, students in one of the country’s toughest neighborhoods turn from gang life to become top algebra and calculus students. Escalante believed in them when no one else cared. Olmos (Selena 1997) was nominated for an Academy Award for his role, as was Lou Diamond Phillips (La Bamba) for a supporting role as one of the students. Directed by Ramon Menendez.
La Bamba (1987) Directed by Luis Valdez
Synopsis: In the 1950s, Mexican-American Ritchie Valenzuela rises from poverty in central California to become “Ritchie Valens,” one of the most popular singers of the rock and roll era. He strives to give his mother and younger siblings a good home, while his jealous older brother takes a different path; despite his fame, Ritchie’s heritage installs prejudice in the parents of his Anglo girl friend Donna, made famous in his hit record.
Born in East L.A. (1987) Comedian Cheech Marin directed, wrote, and stars in this comedy about Rudy, who is caught in an INS sweep of illegal workers at a factory. Without any ID, Rudy is unable to convince authorities that he is American, and ends up deported to Mexico with no knowledge of Spanish and no idea how to get back home.
Living on Tokyo Time (1987) Ken (Ken Nakagawa) is shy and into rock & roll. Kyoko (Minako Ohashi) is beautiful and determined. Introduced by a mutual friend, Ken marries Kyoko, whose green card is expiring, so that she can remain in the U.S. And then the unexpected happens when he falls in love with her. Directed by Steven Okazaki (Black Tar Heroin: The Dark End of the Street 2000).
An American Tale (1986) This animated musical directed by Don Bluth is the story of the Mouskowitz family – a family of Jewish mice living in Russia at the time of the revolution. They have dreams of America, the land with no cats where all the streets are paved with cheese. When the youngest becomes separated from his family, he learns life lessons of tolerance, survival, and the strength of the familial bond.
Dim Sum : A Little Bit of Heart (1985) Chinese immigrant, Mrs. Tam, is told by a fortune-teller that this is the year she will die. She longs to return to China to pay her respects to her ancestors. She is also longing for her daughter, Geraldine, to marry. A sweet portrayal of this Chinese American family in San Francisco. Another film from director Wayne Wang (Joy Luck Club 1993).
Stranger Than Paradise (1984) Director Jim Jarmusch influenced the direction of American independent filmmakers with his unusual style in this film. Eva is moving to the U.S. from Eastern Europe and informs her cousin, Willie that she will be staying with him for ten days before going on to their aunt in Ohio. Willie, a small-time gambler, tells his friend, Eddie, that she will cramp their style, but Eddie likes Eva. Willie introduces her to American TV and TV dinners and Eva proves to be surprisingly street savvy, herself.
Moscow on the Hudson (1984) Touring the U.S. with a band during the cold war, a Soviet saxophone player, played by Robin Williams, defects to the U.S. while in Bloomingdale’s. But adjusting to American life is more difficult than he imagines. Directed by Paul Mazursky (Harry and Tonto 1974).
El Norte (Artisan Entertainment, 1983) Directed by Gregory Nava
Synopsis: Originally produced for PBS’s American Playhouse, “El Norte” is a Spanish-language film that focuses on brother and sister Enrique and Rosa Xuncax, who flee their native Guatemala and eventually make their way to “El Norte,” the United States. Once in Los Angeles, the pair discover that their dreams are not so easily attained in the often harsh and hostile environment for illegal aliens in the city.
Sophie’s Choice (1982) A Polish Catholic survivor of Auschwitz who makes her way to the U.S. after the war. Directed by Alan J. Pakula.
Zoot Suit (Universal, 1981) Directed by :Luis Synopsis: Los Angeles during World War II was the site of a highly publicized 1942 Sleepy Lagoon murders case. Following the murders, several young Mexican-Americans, called “Zoot suiters” because of their clothing were imprisoned, based on little evidence. This stylized musical film, based on a popular play, looks behind the scenes at the prejudice that caused the young men’s imprisonment; told from the point of view of “The Grand Pachuco” and the female attorney who tries to gain their release.
Hito-Hata: Raise the Banner (1980). Directed by Duane Kubo.
Synopsis: Hito-Hata, the first full length film produced by and about Asian-Pacific Americans, dramatizes the life of the elderly Oda, an Issei who worked on the transcontinental railroad and now lives alone in Little Tokyo in Los Angeles. Oda’s difficult past is juxtaposed with his fight to save his neighbors from losing their homes to land developers.
The Godfather, Part II (1974) All of the films in this Francis Ford Coppola (Academy Award, Best Director, 1975) trilogy surround the Corleone family. The ties between the family in New York and the family in Sicily are depicted in a way in this film, especially, that is likely felt on some level by all immigrant families in the U.S. Robert di Niro (Academy Award for this supporting character, 1975) portrays the young Vito and learned Italian in order to be as authentic as possible in the role.
Popi (1969) This comedy about a Puerto Rican widower, living in Harlem, who puts his children aboard a raft off of Florida’s coast. Scheming for a better life for his family, Popi believes the cute “asylum-seekers from Cuba” will win hearts in America. Directed by Arthur Hiller (Love Story 1971).
The Party (1968) This comedy, which has become a classic full of unconventional humor. Sellers portrays an Indian actor who is mistakenly invited to a party intended for Hollywood executives. The clash of cultures and Sellers’s comedic talents are sure to give you more than a belly laugh or two!
America, America (1963) Written and directed by Elia Kazan this story begins around 1900 with a poor Greek in Turkey. A second-class citizen there, selling ice in the marketplace and enduring humiliation on a daily basis, he is determined to escape to America by way of Constantinople.
West Side Story (1961) Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins directed this Oscar-winning musical. It’s a modern-day Romeo and Juliet story, or it was 40+ years ago when it was made. Rather than feuding families, however, the plot centers around two New York street gangs. Maria is a Puerto Rican immigrant whose brother belongs to the Sharks, and Tony is the American boy she loves, who is a former member of the Jets.
Bad Day at Black Rock (1955)
Directed by John Sturges Synopsis: In the summer of 1945, stranger John Macreedy arrives in a small, hostile Arizona town to give a medal, posthumously awarded to a Japanese-American soldier, to his father. Macready soon learns that the father has been murdered by racists who were trying to cheat him and drive him from his land.
My Man and I (1954)
Directed by Stephen Ames Synopsis: In Sacramento, recently naturalized Mexican farm worker Chu Chu Ramirez, greatly values his new citizenship and writes to the president to express his pride. The affable Chu Chu tries to better himself, despite his friends’ scorn and girlfriend’s cynicism. When an Anglo farmer falsely accuses him of robbery, Chu Chu’s optimism is tested.
I Remember Mama (1948) An aspiring writer and daughter of Norwegian immigrant parents, played by Irene Dunn and Edgar Bergan. A warm tale of a close-knit family and children who believe their Mama can do anything. Nominated for five Academy Awards, including Best Black & White Cinematography.
My Girl Tisa (1948) Overlooked because of the political climate when it was released, this film portrays the New York lower East Side society of the period. Boarding houses, looking for work, the constant fear of deportation, the anxiety over the citizenship test. German-born actress Lilli Palmer stars as Tisa and Sam Wanamaker (nominated for an Emmy for his 1978 role in Holocaust) is the attorney who helps her. Directed by Elliott Nugent.
Music in My Heart (1940) This old musical stars Rita Hayworth (Gilda, 1946) as the American beauty living in an immigrant neighborhood of New York with her kid sister, when she collides (literally) with Tony Martin, a penniless actor who is being deported. Full of plot twists and characters with complicated relationships, this film even has a lovesick monkey!
The Immigrant (1917) This is a classic for film students. Charlie Chaplin (Limelight 1952, The Great Dictator 1940) stars in this silent picture about his little tramp, traveling steerage to immigrate to the U.S. with the throngs who came at the beginning of the 1900s. He shows us what this felt like with the humor and poignancy only Chaplin possessed.
