OUR GOAL
WITH WINGS AND ROOTS is a documentary film and multimedia education project that tells the stories of artists and activists from immigrant families working to reimagine belonging beyond traditional borders. Set in Berlin and New York, two emblematic migration cities on different continents, WITH WINGS AND ROOTS uses an unprecedented comparative lens that breathes fresh life into the polarized immigration debate.

After many years of filming, we have nearly completed our 90-min documentary. We are seeking funds to complete the final editing phase of our film. The funds raised here will be used to pay for post-production costs, including sound design and color correction. Up to 5,000 dollars of donations will be matched dollar-for-dollar by a generous donation from the Sikh Spirit Foundation.


ABOUT THE FILM
Filmed over the course of seven years, WITH WINGS AND ROOTS follows the lives of Sonny, Tania, Miman, Derya and Akim, young adults living in New York and Berlin whose parents hail from India, Bolivia, Macedonia, Turkey and Vietnam. Often considered outsiders in both mainstream society and “their own” communities, they must grapple with the pressure to assimilate on one hand, and to “preserve” their cultures on the other. The film follows them as they forge new paths through their art and activist work and take major steps in their lives: career, marriage, children, and pursuing the right to citizenship. They each come from different backgrounds, but what they share is an interest in contributing towards social change, and a resolve to ultimately redefine what it means to be American or German.


THE IMPACT
In the U.S., we often think of immigration as a uniquely American issue. Rarely do we see the overlapping experiences of immigrant communities around the world. The stories in WITH WINGS AND ROOTS allow audiences to recognize the interconnectedness of our struggles and reimagine belonging beyond national borders.

Through films, educational workshops, and an interactive website, with WITH WINGS AND ROOTS aims to facilitate conversations in Europe and North America about the intersection of immigration, racism, and belonging. To date, we have already released two award-winning short films, Article of Faith and Where are you from from?, while the feature length film and interactive website are in progress. The short films have screened at nearly 150 events in Europe and North America, often accompanied by workshops on issues like bias-based bullying in schools, immigrant rights, and post-9/11 racism.

Given the political climate of record deportations, persistent Islamophobia, and a real opportunity for immigration reform in US, the time for this film to be completed and distributed is now. Thank you for considering a donation to WITH WINGS AND ROOTS.


MORE INFO
Check out our website at: www.withwingsandrootsfilm.com

Read a Langer Hall interview with our film director, Christina Antonakos-Wallace: http://thelangarhall.com/human-rights/an-interview-with-christina-antonakos-wallace-filmmaker-of-with-wings-and-roots/

Follow us on Facebook!: https://www.facebook.com/withWINGSandROOTS