immigrant experience
38 movies and shows
I'm No Longer Here
Mon, 21 Oct 2019
In Monterrey, Mexico, a young street gang spends their days dancing to slowed-down cumbia and attending parties. After a mix-up with a local cartel, their leader is forced to migrate to the U.S. but quickly longs to return home.
Heaven & Earth
Sat, 25 Dec 1993
In a small Vietnamese village torn apart by war, a young woman faces unimaginable horrors before deciding to escape to the city. There, she encounters a compassionate Marine who offers her hope and a chance at a new life, igniting the possibility of a future together.
The Namesake
Sat, 02 Sep 2006
After moving from Calcutta to New York, members of the Ganguli family maintain a delicate balancing act between honoring the traditions of their native India and blending into American culture. Although parents Ashoke and Ashima are proud of the sacrifices they make to give their children opportunities, their son Gogol strives to forge his own identity without forgetting his heritage.
Romulus, My Father
Thu, 31 May 2007
The story of Romulus, his beautiful wife, Christina, and their struggle in the face of great adversity to bring up their son, Raimond. It is a story of impossible love that ultimately celebrates the unbreakable bond between father and son.
Hasan Minhaj: Homecoming King
Tue, 23 May 2017
Comic Hasan Minhaj of "The Daily Show" shares personal stories about racism, immigrant parents, prom night horrors and more in this stand-up special.
The Golden Dream
Fri, 25 Oct 2013
A group of Central-American teen-agers depart from the slums of Guatemala City escaping poverty and violence, towards the promised land of California.
Chan Is Missing
Sat, 24 Apr 1982
Two cabbies search San Francisco's Chinatown for a mysterious character who has disappeared with their $4000. Their quest leads them on a humorous, if mundane, journey which illuminates the many problems experienced by Chinese-Americans trying to assimilate into contemporary American society.
Con Esperanza
Sat, 25 Apr 2020
When Ruben, a young Chicano musician, is caught between his mother’s expectations and his own hopes, he is forced to make a decision that will change his life forever. Based on true events, “Con Esperanza” follows Ruben on his journey of pursuing his dreams, balancing both the traditional and financial expectations of his Mother.
Vesna Goes Fast
Wed, 04 Sep 1996
Czech immigrant Vesna arrives in Italy and is forced into casual prostitution by poverty. The encounter with a kind construction worker could help change her situation.
Memories to Choke On, Drinks to Wash Them Down
Sat, 09 Nov 2019
This anthology film, whose Chinese title begins with a romantic name for human excrement, premiered internationally at Rotterdam and won Best Screenplay from the Hong Kong Film Critics Society. A variety of Hong Kong people wrestle with nostalgia when facing an uncertain future. Their stories give way to a documentary featuring a young barista turned political candidate.
Brucio nel vento
Fri, 18 Jan 2002
For ten years, immigrant Tobias has worked at a Swiss clock factory and, in the relentless ticking, he saw life go by without much expectation. One day, he sees Caroline, a former schoolmate from back in Eastern Europe, and falls in love with her, but she's married and has a daughter.
The Donut King
Mon, 24 Aug 2020
Cambodian refugee Ted Ngoy builds a multi-million dollar empire by baking America's favourite pastry: the doughnut.
Refuge(e)
Thu, 14 Mar 2019
Refuge(e) traces the incredible journey of two refugees, Alpha and Zeferino. Each fled violent threats to their lives in their home countries and presented themselves at the US border asking for political asylum, only to be incarcerated in a for-profit prison for months on end without having committed any crime. Thousands more like them can't tell their stories.
The Stream
Sun, 15 Jan 2023
When a first generation American son learns of his Russian immigrant father's financial catastrophe, he reluctantly agrees to one last tumultuous trip to their beloved family lake house before it's sold.
H.A.G.S. (Have a Good Summer)
Tue, 20 Apr 2021
A portrait of growing up told through filmmaker Sean Wang's middle school yearbook. Go Hornets.
The Sketch
Thu, 27 Apr 2023
Upon his arrival in Paris, filmmaker Tomas Cali immerses himself in learning French, as well as the language of sketching. In an art studio, he meets transgender life model Linda Demorrir, who helps him to connect with himself and his new city in a profoundly different way.
Ni de aquí, ni de allá
Thu, 28 Jan 1988
This Mexican comedy stars La India Maria, who drives the FBI crazy because they cannot figure out whether she belongs here or there.
Where Motion Has Not Yet Ceased
Sun, 19 Nov 2023
Prague, 2022 - Having found refuge from the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, two women and their young daughters face the waiting and hope of an imminent return to Ukraine. Shelved in this city, these women tell the story of their past and give access to their daily life, their present, in which they try to learn how to live again. This documentary tries to give a voice to those who live war differently.
China Wife
Tue, 01 Jan 1957
Ah-gau (Keung Chung-ping) leaves his wife Sou Jing, and son in Macau for Nanyang to join his cousin (Patrick Tse Yin) in search of employment. A series of events propel Ah-gau into high society and he falls in love with a tycoon’s daughter, Ming-zyu, (Patsy Kar Ling). Abandoned by Ah-gau, Sou Jing suffers in utter poverty and journeys to Singapore in search of her husband.
According to Her
Mon, 21 Nov 2016
Love, motherhood and a musical career strike dissonant chords in this dark tale of a young Russian woman who tries to keep her balance among wealthy French expats in New York.