“From the Back of the Line” Film Premieres
“From the Back of the Line,” a documentary film exploring the impact of immigration policies on mixed-immigration status families in Charlotte, premiered on Friday, May 3 at 7 p.m. at UNC Charlotte Center City, 320 E. 9th Street.
UNC Charlotte graduate student Hannah Levinson, who is pursuing her master’s degree in ethics and applied philosophy, has worked with the Latin American Coalition and Haberdashery Films to create the film. Her co-producer is Armando Bellmas, director of communications for the Latin American Coalition. Toby Shearer of Haberdashery Films is the director.
“From the Back of the Line” shares the voices and stories of mixed-status immigrant families through personal interviews, giving a glimpse inside the lives of Charlotte residents struggling to navigate the gaps in the current U.S. immigration system. The filmmakers aim to cultivate a better American landscape through diversity and build a greater depth of understanding within the Charlotte community.
“So often, in the dialogue about undocumented immigrants and immigration reform, those whose lives are at the center of the conversation are regarded merely as statistics,” Levinson said. “‘From the Back of the Line’ seeks to give a voice and face to individuals right here in our community who are directly affected by immigration policy and help us learn how to craft a better American landscape through a greater depth of understanding as citizens and as neighbors.”
Planning for the film, which grew out of Levinson’s master’s thesis project, started in December 2012. Through interviews and research, the film documents the struggles of individuals caught in low-priority deportation procedures, parents raising mixed status families and high school and college students who have lived in the United States since childhood.
Supporters include Familias Unidas and United 4 The Dream; UNC Charlotte’s College of Liberal Arts & Sciences, Center for Professional and Applied Ethics, Department of Philosophy, Office of International Programs and the Chancellor’s Diversity Challenge Fund; and 80 individual partners who supported the film through its IndieGoGo crowdfunding campaign in March and April. The filmmakers surpassed their fundraising goal within 72 hours and are using the additional funds to broaden outreach. For the film premiere, donations came from Hawthorne’s Pizza, The Common Market and Snug Harbor.
The filmmakers are discussing the possibility of expanding the film to feature-length or building an interactive web-based component to increase their ability to share the story of immigration and the people the issue affects.