Living Undocumented is a 2019 Netflix documentary series co-directed by Aaron Saidman and Anna Chai[1] and executive produced by Selena Gomez, Mandy Teefey, Eli Holzman, Aaron Saidman, Sean O’Grady and Anna Chai. The series documents eight illegal immigrant families living in the United States.[2][3] The series was produced by Industrial Media-owned production company The Intellectual Property Corporation.[4] It was released on October 2, 2019.
| Living Undocumented | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Docuseries |
| Directed by |
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| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 6 |
| Production | |
| Executive producers |
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| Production companies |
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| Original release | |
| Network | Netflix |
| Release | October 2, 2019 |
According to an op-ed written by Gomez for Time on October 1, 2019, Gomez said she was approached about the project in 2017 and decided to become involved after watching footage that captured "the shame, uncertainty, and fear I saw my own family struggle with. But it also captured the hope, optimism, and patriotism so many undocumented immigrants still hold in their hearts despite the hell they go through.”[5]
WHERE ARE THEY NOW?
According to an article by Hacking Immigration Law,[6] the two brothers and their father who were featured in the Netflix documentary series have not found any luck in regards to their immigration issues. The brother's father , Roberto, was deported back to Colombia as ICE arrested him in the parking lot of his job and proceeded with he deportation process. Currently , both brothers are in "hiding" and are separated with each other due to the fear that ICE will deport them.
Episodes
edit| No. | Title | Original release date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | "A Prayer in the Night" | October 2, 2019 |
| 2 | "The World Is Watching" | October 2, 2019 |
| 3 | "The Deportation" | October 2, 2019 |
| 4 | "The Crossing" | October 2, 2019 |
| 5 | "A Family Torn Apart" | October 2, 2019 |
| 6 | "Home Sweet Home" | October 2, 2019 |
Release
editLiving Undocumented was released on October 2, 2019 on Netflix.[2]
Reception
editThis docuseries, Living Undocumented, highlights eight families from different ethnic backgrounds allowing viewers to relate to and connect to their stories. This helps change the stereotype of only Mexicans being undocumented. Mexicans are a part of a large population of those who migrate to the U.S. which does not diminish other groups of people who migrate to this country. [7] The docuseries sheds light on families from Honduras, Mexico, Colombia, Laos, Israel, and Mauritania which emphasizes diversity. It received a 7.2 rating out of 10 on IMDb. [8] Review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes reported an approval rating of 100% based on 5 reviews, with an average rating of 9/10 for the series.[9]
Accolades
edit| Award | Date of ceremony | Category | Recipient(s) | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| International Documentary Association | December 7, 2019 | Best Episodic Series | Anna Chai, Aaron Saidman (directors); Eli Holzman, Sean O'Grady, Selena Gomez and Mandy Teefey (executive producers) | Nominated | [10] |
| News and Documentary Emmy Awards | September 21–22, 2020 | Outstanding Editing: Documentary | Bradley Dean, Ed Greene, Kevin Hibbard & Vincent Oresman | Nominated | [11] |
References
edit- ^ "Chai, Anna - Filmmaker". DCEFF. Retrieved 2024-10-19.
- ^ a b "Netflix releases trailer for Living Undocumented series produced by Selena Gomez". AV Club. 18 September 2019. Retrieved 2019-09-18.
- ^ "Selena Gomez-Produced Docuseries 'Living Undocumented' Ordered at Netflix". Variety. 17 September 2019. Retrieved 2019-09-18.
- ^ "Selena Gomez-Produced 'Living Undocumented' Docuseries a Go at Netflix". The Hollywood Reporter. 17 September 2019. Retrieved 2019-10-01.
- ^ "Selena Gomez on America's Undocumented Immigration Crisis". Time. Retrieved 2019-10-01.
- ^ Hacking, Jim (2019-11-07). "Brothers featured in "Living Undocumented" Netflix series say they had to go into hiding to avoid ICE". Hacking Immigration Law, LLC. Retrieved 2024-11-14.
- ^ "Mexican Immigrants in the United States".
- ^ "Living Undocumented".
- ^ "Living Undocumented: Season 1 (2019)". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved August 7, 2020.
- ^ "IDA Documentary Awards: 'For Sama' Wins Best Feature". The Hollywood Reporter. December 7, 2019. Retrieved December 7, 2019.
- ^ "THE 41st NEWS & DOCUMENTARY EMMYS NOMINEES". Television Academy. Retrieved September 22, 2020.
