"Independent Lens" The New Americans (2004)

Directors:

Laura Angelica Simon
Susana Aikin

Writers:

Eric Martin (writer)
Scott Pearson (writer)

TV Series:

"Independent Lens" (1999)

Original Air Date:

29 March 2004

Genre:

Documentary

Plot:

The New Americans follows four years in the lives of a diverse group of contemporary immigrants and...

Plot Keywords:

Los Angeles Dodgers | Cinema Verite | Baseball | Issue Oriented | Direct Cinema

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Ismail Bashey	...	Narrator
Don Cheadle	...	Himself - Host

Angela Bassett

...

Host

Runtime:

USA:408 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Arabic | Kannada | Spanish

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Company:

Kartemquin Films

Another world

What does it mean to uproot yourself from your home and family, and travel across the world to work in another country? If you are a well-traveled professional with a job to go to, probably not that much; but if you come from an under-privileged background, there are three factors to deal with that the affluent traveling westerner might not have to face: culture shock, limited prospects and the sense that in leaving, one might never go back. 'The New Americans' is a fascinating look at the lives of a disparate collection of immigrants to the United States; the fact that America is a country of immigrants adds to the resonance, in that the lives of these people are the continuation of the central story of the country, not a diversionary subplot. There's a lot of content here, but a number of things stand out. First, the culture shock is perhaps less than one might expect: in America, as everywhere else, you work to pay the rent, young families have children, etc., etc.: the pattern of life is essentially the same. Even Israel, a Nigerian refugee, who in the first episode announces that he is keen to discover what a "hamburger" is, is soon commenting that life in America offers no surprises. Indeed, life in America does not necessarily make these immigrants happier, in spite of their universally increased affluence (measured in terms of dollars): the local cost, and uncertainty, of living, remains high. For those prepared to buy into the American dream, there is a chance of a life that may be denied elsewhere: for someone who would simply like to do interesting work, in reasonable conditions, and live without worry, life is no easier than it is at home. The other thing we see is how hard it is for families to survive under economic duress: in some ways, this is a theme that extends beyond immigrants, though here it recurs due to the precarious nature of most of the immigrants positions. One also sees, in almost every family, sexism from the husbands and a tendency to indulge in infantile emotionalism from their wives, which is a bit depressing. This program is thus a fascinating insight into so much of modern life; but for all the hardship, no-one goes back. Well worth watching.