Immigrants/Immigration | THE LABOR FILM DATABASE

James’ Journey to Jerusalem (2003)

91m; Israel

Cast: Siyabonga Melongisi Shibe, Salim Dau and Arieh Elias

Synopsis (Wikipedia): The film’s plot focuses on an African teenager named James (Siyabonga Melongisi Shibe) whom hails from the fictional African village Entshongweni, who goes on a pilgrimage journey, on behalf of his village, towards the Holy Land, Israel, and especially in order to come to Jerusalem. Upon arriving in Israel, James is suspected to be an illegal foreign worker and as a result he is arrested. Shimi (Salim Daw), a contractor of foreign workers, releases him on bail to work with him. After James explains to him that he did not travel to Israel to work, Shimi clarifies to him that since he paid for his release, James now owes him. Therefore James is forced to interrupt his journey and begin working for Shimi.

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Posted by Metro Council on March 23, 2012 in Drama, Immigrants/Immigration, Service Workers

ID Card (Pieces D’Identite)

19 Mar

Synopsis: Congolese immigrants in Paris

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Posted by Metro Council on March 19, 2012 in Immigrants/Immigration

ILLEGAL (Illégal) [2010]

19 Mar

95m; Belgium/Luxembourg/France

Director: Olivier Masset-Depasse

Synopsis: “[A] fascinating study of perseverance in the face of subhuman treatment.” –Boyd Van Hoeij, Variety. Tania (Anne Coesens), a Russian immigrant living illegally in Belgium, is willing to do whatever it takes to prevent her son and herself from being deported. When Tania’s illegal status is discovered, she is arrested and sent to a detention center, where she meets other illegals like herself, struggling to stay in their adopted homeland. Things soon spiral out of control when she claims a false name and finds herself in the middle of a complex deportation situation. Winner, Society of Dramatic Actors and Composers’ SACD Prize, 2010 Cannes Directors’ Fortnight.

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Posted by Metro Council on March 19, 2012 in Children, Drama, Immigrants/Immigration, Women, Working Class

If Stone Could Speak (Se La Pietra Sapesse Parlare) [2007]

19 Mar

60m; U.S.

Director: Randy Croce

Synopsis (http://ifstonecouldspeak.wordpress.com): “Thousands of stonecutters emigrated from northern Italy, to Barre, Vermont, “Granite Capital of the World.” This documentary follows the artisans and their families from quarries, workshops and schools in Italy to granite carving sheds in New England.”

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Posted by Metro Council on March 19, 2012 in Documentary, Immigrants/Immigration

Igual Que Tu: A week in the life of an immigrant (2009)

19 Mar

Director: Ellie Walton

Synopsis: Documentary about hispanic day workers in DC.

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Posted by Metro Council on March 19, 2012 in Documentary, Immigrants/Immigration, Working Class

Immigrant Nation (2010)

19 Mar

96m; U.S.

Director: Esau Melendez

Synopsis: Using the resistance of illegal immigrant Elvira Arellano, the film documents the rise of the pro-immigrant movement in Chicago.

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Posted by Metro Council on March 19, 2012 in Documentary, Immigrants/Immigration, Organizing, Politics, Working Class

Immokalee U.S.A. (2008)

19 Mar

76m; U.S.

Director: Georg Koszulinski

Synopsis: Immokalee U.S.A. examines the lives of the individuals who make up the small migrant farming community of Immokalee, Florida.

Contact: koszulinski@gmail.com 352-491-2960 (Cell)

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Posted by Metro Council on March 19, 2012 in Documentary, Farm & Food, Immigrants/Immigration, Organizing, Working Class

Import Export (2007)

19 Mar

135m;

Director: Ulrich Seidl

Cast: Ekateryna Rak, Paul Hofmann, Michael Thomas, Maria Hofstätter, Georg Friedrich, Natalija Baranova, Natalia Epureanu, Petra Morzé, Dirk Stermann, Erich Finsches

Synopsis: This dark comedy is about the crossing stories of a Ukrainian nurse (import) and a maladjusted Viennese security man (export).

Contact: (http://importexport.ulrichseidl.com/en/) Sarah Wilby 45a rathbone Street London W1T 1NW, GB, T +44 20 7580 0222 F +44 20 7580 0333 sarahwilby@mac.com

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Posted by Metro Council on March 19, 2012 in Comedy, Global Economy, Immigrants/Immigration, Working Class

In This World (2002)

19 Mar

88m; U.K

Director: Michael Winterbottom

Cast: Jamal Udin Torabi, Enayatullah and Imran Paracha

Synopsis: In February 2002 in the Shamshatoo Refugee Camp in the North West Frontier Province in Pakistan, there are 53,000 refugees living in sub-human conditions since 1979 with the Soviet Union invasion and 2001 with the USA bombing and invasion of Afghanistan. The family of the Afghan Enayat and his cousin Jamal decides to send them illegally to London to have a better life. They hire coyotes to smuggle the cousins through Iran and Turkey to Italy and finally London hidden inside trucks and containers. However, the long journey locked in a container with other families separates the cousins and on 09 August 2002, Jamal has his asylum application refused in London.

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Posted by Metro Council on March 19, 2012 in Drama, Immigrants/Immigration