Directed by Laura Angelica Simon • Documentary • 2003 • 55 minutes
In the crowded city of Bangalore, India, we meet Anjan Bacchu, a successful computer programmer who is planning to apply for a position in the U.S. But first, the practical Anjan wants to find and marry a traditional Indian wife. In a modern twist on the Indian tradition of arranged marriages, Anjan meets Harshini, a young computer instructor, through an online marriage bureau. Anjan’s father, a devout Gandhian, believes India is suffering from an American “brain drain” and worries that his son will be “corrupted” by America’s secular materialism. Anjan promises his father that he’ll return to India in 100 weeks to resume his career here with even greater prospects for success.
The Flores Family stays in Juárez for a week, calling cousins and friends to secure the sponsorship needed to obtain visas for the entire family.
Ricardo Rodríguez is being seriously groomed for ascent to the Major Leagues. José Garcia’s future, on the other hand, remains uncertain after disappointing performances land him back in Great Falls for a second season of Rookie League baseball.
We also start to see the painful plight of Naima Abudayyeh’s homeland extending to America and throughout the world as the second Intifada grows more violent. We see Hatem as he becomes increasingly political, helping to organize large-scale demonstrations.
"In the post-9/11 era, when many immigrants are looked upon with distrust, The New Americans offers a fresh perspective...a powerful and deeply personal documentary." - Suzanne Ryan, Boston Globe
Up Next in The New Americans
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The New Americans - Episode 6
Directed by Laura Angelica Simon • Documentary • 2003 • 55 minutes
On an H1-B visa in the U.S., Anjan Bacchu easily finds employment during the dot.com boom, often working for 16 to 18 hours a day. Since Harshini’s visa does not allow her to work, she fills her days with taking care of the apart...
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The New Americans - Episode 7
Directed by Laura Angelica Simon • Documentary • 2003 • 55 minutes
When the dot.com bust devastates the high-tech industry in 2000, Anjan Bacchu loses his job. Shortly afterwards, Harshini becomes pregnant and Anjan scrambles to find new employment.
For the Flores Family, now living in Mecca, C...