Skip to Content

Film Reviews

Many of these feature-length films can be found on www.imdb.com or www.amazon.com. Movies are arranged by year and then alphabetically by title. A special thanks to Sheela Murthy for compiling many of these films.

While some movies deal directly with immigration as a theme, others are slightly more nuanced yet still touch on the topic. If you know of an immigration-themed movie that is not on this list, please let us know.

Enemy Alien

A Japanese-American filmmaker finds echoes of his own family's World War II internment in post-9/11 arrests of Muslim immigrants and joins the struggle to free Farouk Abdel-Muhti, an imprisoned Palestinian activist. Farouk organizes resistance among his fellow detainees, incurring abusive retaliation from his captors, as Homeland Security officials investigate the documentary itself, arresting Farouk's son.

Year Released: 2009

The Community Education Center Endorses "La Americana-A Documentary"

"La Americana" is a powerful new documentary film recommended by the American Immigration Council.

www.la-americana.com 

"La Americana puts a human face on today's debate over immigration.  It is a wonderful tool for educators, advocates, and policy experts who wish to create a humane discussion about this heated issue"
- Claire Tesh, American Immigration Council's Community Education CenterRead more...

Year Released: 2009

View Link

Children In No-Man's Land

Children in No Man's Land is a documentary that uncovers the current plight of the 100,000 unaccompanied minors entering the United States every year. This film gives the political debate about the U.S.-Mexico border a human face by exploring the story of Maria de Jesus (age 13) and her cousin Rene (age 12) as they attempt to cross the US/Mexico border alone to reunite with their respective mothers. Focusing on minors crossing through the Sonora Desert area in Nogales, Arizona, this film explores every detail of these children's journey as well as the journeys of other children we meet on the way. We uncover in an intimate and personal way where these individuals are coming from and what their journeys have been like.

Year Released: 2008

Frozen River

The story in Frozen River takes place in the days before Christmas near a little-known border crossing on a Mohawk reservation between New York State and Quebec. Here, the lure of fast money from smuggling presents a daily challenge to single moms who would otherwise be earning minimum wage. Two women - one white, one Mohawk, both single mothers faced with desperate circumstances - are drawn into the world of border smuggling across the frozen water of the St. Lawrence River.  Exceptionally well-cast and well-acted.

Frozen River

Year Released: 2008

The Visitor

Walter Vale (Richard Jenkins) is a lonely economics professor in Connecticut. His life is changed forever - and for the better - when he finds a couple of undocumented immigrants squatting in his New York apartment. Directed by Tom McCarthy (The Station Agent, 2003).

The Visitor

Year Released: 2008

A Jihad For Love

From the frontlines of independent filmmaking comes an unprecedented, provocative yet ultimately life-affirming work. It is apparently the first documentary to explore the complex intersections of Islam with homosexuality. Traveling through a worldwide spectrum of Islamic societies, the film documents the stories and struggles of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and transgender Muslims and seeks to end the deafening silence surrounding their lives. Extremely relevant in a post 9-11 world, this remarkable film is about coming back to faith as well as shattering assumptions of religious fundamentalism.

A Jihad for Love

Year Released: 2007

A Slim Peace

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.

Year Released: 2007

Beyond Belief

This documentary, which premiered at the 2007 Tribeca Film Festival, is the story of two amazing women who lost their husbands in 9/11. Grief is turned to action as they are compelled to travel to Kabul to help women who are widowed there.

Beyond Belief

Year Released: 2007

Forging A Nation

 

Director David Blaustein retraced the steps of his Jewish ancestors accompanied by his mother and a host of extended family. The journey of the film becomes an exploration of the many people and the myriad factors that coalesced to build Argentina. Presented for the first time in North America at the 2007 Tribeca Film Festival.

Year Released: 2007

Made In L.A.

Made in L.A. intimately documents the struggle and personal transformations of three Latina garment factory workers. As their lives unfold and change over three years, Made in L.A. artfully reveals the challenges facing immigrant workers and explores the ever-changing impact of globalization on the immigrant workforce.

Made in L.A.

Year Released: 2007