Citizens*: Filmmakers to Produce Unbiased Immigration Documentary Jessica Nemire - SFWeekly
go to original March 26, 2014

As the United States scrambles to find a solution to illegal immigration, Citizens* examines the conflicts that arise between tradition, economic disparity, and the burgeoning awareness of a global citizenship. (CitizensTheMovie.com)

Almost everyone you will ever talk to has a strong opinion about illegal immigration. Whether they're for or against it, everyone is biased toward one side or another. Married documentary filmmaker duo Jacob and Jennifer Tapia, of Handrawn Pictures LLC, have created a documentary that isn't.

Citizens* is not pro or anti immigration, and does not have any sort of bias toward any nationality, culture, or political stance.

"The film shows the benefits of both sides [of the immigration debate], how [immigration] works in some areas, and how it's causing problems in others," Jacob Tapia said. "The film is about what's happening and how it affects those who experience it daily. The message is that we as humans need to work together and take care of each other."

The filmmakers have spent the last four years interviewing undocumented immigrants, border enforcement officers, experts in the subject, and even a guy who successfully smuggled people over the border for five years.

"The people I interviewed honored me by sharing their experience," Tapia said. "Some of the things they went through are very personal, and I feel like it's my responsibility to make sure the film is completed and shown to the public."

No, the asterisk next to the title of the film is not a typo. It's meant to serve as a footnote, a reminder that even people who aren't technically citizens still act the same way as people who are.

Read the rest at SFWeekly

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