'America's Family' Movie Review: Immigration Is Much More Than A Political Stunt
- Details
- Published: Sunday, 31 December 2023 12:54
- Written by Lupe R Haas
AMERICA'S FAMILY comes at the right time as the conversation around the deportation of undocumented immigrants is resumed with the GOP planning to take back the White House in 2024. Now streaming on many platforms, AMERICA'S DREAM puts faces to those affected by the political game. Produced by The Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA) through their CHIRLA Liberty Film division, the film plays like an educational film shown at school. Regardless, the movie is a gripping tale of a family torn apart by careless policies, told in a positive light.
AMERICAN'S FAMILY follows the Diaz Family when ICE tears apart the family. Marisol (star and director Anike Tourse), the matriarch, is arrested and detained when they come looking for her son Koke who is immediately deported, Marisol's husband Jorge is forced to seek refuge in a synagogue. The American-born son Emiliano, an attorney, takes the fight to the courts to reunite the family, while the youngest daughter Valentina sparks a social media campaign sharing her family's story. As each family member braves their way through the crisis, they discover unexpected reserves of love, faith, and the restorative resilience of the community.
AMERICA'S FAMILY star Emmanuel Lopez Alonso Interview
AMERICA'S FAMILY is not a preachy message feature but it simply presents the events as they occur. It is surprisingly objective with a human portrayal of the situation which is why it feels like an educational film shown at school. Compassionate viewers will feel the pain of families going through this political fight.
Starring a mostly unknown cast, the acting and delivery of the dialogue are a bit wooden, but it's easy to overlook that given the emotional weight of the crisis.
Director Anike Tourse is also the writer, producer and stars in the film. The filmmaker produced the film in conjunction with The Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA) through their CHIRLA Liberty Film division to spotlight the issue of immigration and how it affects a family. AMERICA'S FAMILY accomplishes its mission.
AMERICA'S FAMILY is a conversation starter that should open the minds of those who merely see immigration as a political stunt and bring empathy to the plight of undocumented people.
AMERICA'S FAMILY is now streaming on major platforms.
Cast List: Anike Tourse, Emmanuel López Alonso, Ricardo Cisneros, Mauricio Mendoza, Jailene Arias, Aida Rodriguez, Baltimore Beltran, Ulises Chávez and Angie Kim
The Mission of “America’s Family”
The mission behind the creation of "America's Family" is to build empathy among audiences for mixed-status families across the U.S. and the world.
The goal is that audiences will relate what is happening to the Diaz family on screen with the experiences of their own families.
"America's Family" has created an opportunity for women, people of color and immigrant artists, activists and community members to work together to tell the story of an immigrant experience from a diverse and immigrant perspective.
Angelica Salas refers to the objective of the film as "For us, By us"
The hope is that the film will attract attention to CHIRLA's National Registry Campaign. The Registry campaign provides a path to citizenship for immigrants who are our families, friends and neighbors. There is more information on how people can get involved in the Registry Campaign at chirla.org/registry