Obscure but Stellar Films About Leaving One’s Homeland for America

Some critically acclaimed motion pictures with themes focusing on permanently leaving one's homeland are not as popular as the more escapist offerings in Hollywood mainstream cinema, which typically includes summer hits with superhero characters and action or fantasy movie top-tier titles. Yet, films centering on fleeing one's home country are relevant and have thought-provoking stories and compelling characters.

These works are mostly dramatic pieces that explore the struggles of people trying to find better opportunities for themselves and their loved ones by starting new lives in America. There are also those that utilize some entertaining elements to present complicated subject matters in more lighthearted ways, but, essentially, the main themes still focus on the more serious aspects of their emigration and immigration stories.

"Lana's Rain" (2002)

"Lana's Rain," by filmmaker Michael Ojeda, tells the story of a young Croatian woman who does everything to escape the chaos of her war-torn hometown. In the midst of the Balkan Wars, she and her brother find their way to America, where they hide out on the back streets of large cities using new identities. However, inability to speak English leads her to succumb to the demands of the shady streets of Chicago. At the same time, her brother, who merely survived through a life of crime in Eastern Europe, continues the gangster life in the United States.

This heart-wrenching drama is the American film debut of Ukrainian-born actress Oksana Orlenko. "Lana's Rain" earned her the Best Actress Award at the Milan International Film Festival for her work in the title role.

"The Guru" (2002)

A hybrid of a sitcom and a crude social satire in a Hollywood-meets-Bollywood format, "The Guru" follows the life of an Indian dance instructor in the United Kingdom as he decides to transfer to the United States to fulfill his dreams. This comedy drama by Daisy von Scherler Mayer shows how this longtime fan of American movies wants to pursue his ultimate dream to become a singer and movie star in Hollywood.

An unexpected turn of events leads him to a high-profile career as a sex guru, a job he learns through a porn actress. As he reaches the elite guru status among a number of New York City socialites, complications arise with the double life he starts living, which affects his flourishing relationship with his newfound love.

"Padre Nuestro" (2007)

Christopher Zalla's "Padre Nuestro (Sangre de Mi Sangre)" features two Mexicans who meet on a truck carrying illegal immigrants en route to New York. One of them intends to find the father he never knew through the letter he carries from her deceased mother. Upon arriving in New York, he wakes up only to find out that his new friend is gone and his belongings are nowhere to be found.

A story of stolen identity, this film shows the raw life of crime surrounding illegal immigrants in the Brooklyn area. It premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, where it won the Grand Jury Prize. A screening followed at the Cannes Film Festival, along with a nomination for Best First Feature at the Independent Spirit Awards.

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