Filmmaker Statement

As the American-born daughter of Indian immigrants, I have always been interested in exploring the experiences of immigrants and their journeys to survive and thrive. Immigrant stories reflect the extent of human resilience, determination, and hope. But in the U.S., even kindred communities can be pitted against one another in their struggles for success and self-preservation. In "Esperanza," I explore these tensions in the immigrant narrative while questioning the cutthroat nature of the elusive American Dream. "Esperanza" is inspired by real surges of asylum-seekers crossing into Canada at an unmarked border after Trump's election. I covered this story as a journalist in 2017 and was struck by this border narrative—one in which migrants flee the U.S. instead of coming to it. Through the stories of Dev, Estrella, and Marisol I explore the complex dynamics at play between those in pursuit those in pursuit of a better life and the systems they are up against.