immigrants

GAGARINE: Home is Where The Space Station Is
GAGARINE: Home is Where The Space Station Is

Charming and sympathetic portrayals by Alséni Bathily and Lyna Khoudri make Gagarine feel warmly satisfying and make it a peculiar French indie.

"The American Dream is Very Much About Getting Yours": Interview with Evan Jackson Leong, director of SNAKEHEAD
“The American Dream is Very Much About Getting Yours”: Interview with Evan Jackson Leong, director of SNAKEHEAD

Film Inquiry spoke with director Evan Jackson Leong for his film Snakehead.

IDENTIFYING FEATURES: Lost In Focus
IDENTIFYING FEATURES: Lost In Focus

Identifying Features takes time to get going but successfully wagers the audience’s patience with a terrifying finale that lingers long after the credits.

SXSW Dispatch #1: I'M FINE (THANKS FOR ASKING), LANGUAGE LESSONS, & ISLANDS
SXSW Dispatch #1: I’M FINE (THANKS FOR ASKING), LANGUAGE LESSONS, & ISLANDS

In his first report from SXSW Film Festival, Soham reviews I’m Fine (Thanks For Asking), Language Lessons and Islands!

FIRST COW: A Tender Portrait Of Comradeship And American Dream
FIRST COW: A Tender Portrait Of Comradeship And American Dream

The tone of First Cow is warm and fuzzy until the very end that watching it unfolds is like going through a soothing meditation.

JADDOLAND: The Liminal Echoes Of The Displaced Soul
JADDOLAND: The Liminal Echoes Of The Displaced Soul

Jaddoland’s depiction of immigant life through imagery and meditations will echo throurh ghte hearts and minds of its audience.

“There Are Assumptions About The Film That Are Easily Debunked By Watching It.” Interview With Minhal Baig, Director Of HALA

In this extensive interview, Musanna Ahmed spoke to Minhal Baig about audience preconceptions of Hala, portraying the diaspora, her family’s response, Ms. Marvel and much more.

Tribeca Reviews: Women-Directed Coming-of-Age Films: ALL THESE SMALL MOMENTS, LEMONADE, THE MISEDUCATION OF CAMERON POST, and LITTLE WOODS
Tribeca Reviews: Women-Directed Coming-of-Age Films: ALL THESE SMALL MOMENTS, LEMONADE, THE MISEDUCATION OF CAMERON POST & LITTLE WOODS

David Fontana discusses four films directed by women that show transitional periods of life, from an adolescent teen to an immigrant mother attempting to make it in America.

THE SQUARE: First (Art) World Problems
THE SQUARE: First (Art) World Problems

Though not every element of The Square works, and frequently gets heavy-handed, it’s hard not to appreciate Ruben Östlund’s sense of humor.

THE TIGER HUNTER: Not Worth Hunting Down
THE TIGER HUNTER: Not Worth Hunting Down

The Tiger Hunter is a fun, yet ultimately uninspired film about the immigrant experience, reinforcing stereotypes instead of offering up anything new.

FATIMA: Cultural Divides In Family & France
FATIMA: Cultural Divides In Family & France

Racism in France has been a long-discussed topic within cinema, from Mathieu Kassovitz’s eponymous film La Haine to 2011’s hit comedy Les Intouchables. In recent days Muslim/Arab citizens have been the focus of racial prejudice from the French justice system; Fatima could not come at a better time with its refreshing take on Arab/French culture. Philippe Faucon adds to this conversation with a portrayal of racial tension in France.

DHEEPAN: Upturns Some Stereotypes, But Feeds Into Others
DHEEPAN: Upturns Some Stereotypes, But Feeds Into Others

Even in world cinema, the stories we see on screen are largely those depicting the lives and crises of the most well-off members of each respective society – showing situations that still can largely be referred to as “first world problems” without a sense of ironic bite. It is why a film like Dheepan is so urgently needed in the current, self-centred socio-political climate. It firmly puts us in the shoes of characters whose stories are never told in cinema: