Home Is Somewhere Else
(Mi casa está en otra parte)
Carlos Hagerman, Jorge Villalobos | Documentary, Animation
2022 | 87 minutes | Mexico, United States
Recommended by Alejandro González Iñárritu, this multi-award-winning animated story offers an intimate window into the hearts and minds of immigrant Latin youth. A powerful reminder of how the color of your passport determines your life.
Synopsis
Home Is Somewhere Else shares the rich complexity of the emotional experiences of immigrant children and families to better understand and empathize with them. It invites discussion about the need for a new US migratory model based on respect for human rights for all.
In this documentary animation, three young immigrants tell their stories. Eleven-year-old Jasmine fears being separated from her undocumented parents and sets off to become an activist to protect families like her own. Sisters Evelyn and Elizabeth. Evelyn was born in the USA but has chosen to return to Mexico, while her sister Elizabeth, an illegal immigrant in Los Angeles, is struggling to realize her ambitions. Finally, Lalo shares the story of his childhood, deportation experience, finding a way back, and transforming his challenges through his work as an artist and activist.
Voiced by the actual children and their families, the stories are woven together by spoken word poet José Eduardo Aguilar, also known as Lalo “El Deportee,” the film’s host and MC whose vibrant “Spanglish” breaks codes, switches standards, and pushes the viewer to decipher his poems. Their painful experiences and vibrant hopes and dreams lend themselves well to animation. A powerful reminder of how the color of your passport determines your life.
Reviews
"Draws, in a simple and beautiful way, the complex reality of millions of people." – Alejandro González Iñárritu
"An earnest call for empathy in a country that is witnessing an unprecedented influx of immigrants." – Emiliano Granada, Variety
"Imaginative drawings that allow for greater intimacy and understanding." – The Film Veredic
"Profoundly unique." – The Takeaway / WNYC
"A window into the hearts and minds of immigrant youth and their undocumented families." – Rose Aguilar, Bee Soll, KALW 91.7 FM Bay Area
Citation
Main credits
Hagerman, Carlos (film director)
Hagerman, Carlos (screenwriter)
Hagerman, Carlos (film producer)
Villalobos, Jorge (film director)
Villalobos, Jorge (screenwriter)
Villalobos, Jorge (film producer)
Rendón, Guillermo (film producer)
Other credits
Editing, Inger Díaz-Barriga Leal [and 3 others]; music, Javier Álvarez; animation, Alejandro García "Male", Sarah Páramo, Andrea Mondragón.
Citation
Cataloging
Pragda subjects
Activism
Afro-Latin Studies
Culture + Identity
Exile
Family
International Relations
Latinx
Migration Studies
North America
Sociology
Youth
Keywords
Clips
Festivals
Montclair Film Festival - Winner NJ Films Competition; San Diego Latino Film Festival - Best Frontera Feature, Audience Award; IDFA International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam - Best Youth Doc 14+; Havana Film Festival - Coral de Animación Award; Zanate Mexican Documentary Film Festival - Honor Mention; New York Children's Film Festival; Cleaveland International Film Festival; Guadalajara International Film Festival; Annecy International Animation Film Festival
DIRECTOR: Carlos Hagerman, Jorge Villalobos
NATIONALITY: Mexico, United States
YEAR: 2022
GENRE: Documentary, Animation
LANGUAGE: Spanish; English
COLOR / B&W: Color
GRADE LEVEL: Middle School, High School, College, Adult
SUBTITLE/CC: AVAILABLE
AUDIO DESCRIPTION: NOT AVAILABLE
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