The Film

Advances in science and technology in America depend heavily on high-skilled legal immigrants from across the globe. But our current immigration system takes an inhumane, unfair, and unwise approach toward these immigrants and their families. ALIEN exposes the human toll of America’s dependence on high-skilled legal immigrants and how the Indian immigrant community bears the heaviest burden.

ALIEN intimately follows five Indian high-skilled immigrants and their families as they build lives and families in this country in an uphill battle toward their American Dream. …

Producer/Director

The film’s director, Vidyut Latay, and her husband, Ram, have lived in the U.S. on a spectrum of available visas (H-4, H-1B, F-1, and O-1) and have a first-hand grasp of the complications of maneuvering through them.

Vidyut’s immigration journey:  H-4 visa–> F-1 visa–> O-1 visa–> EB-1A Green Card–> US Citizen

Through friends and family who have experienced the difficulties of navigating the immigration system, Vidyut has unique access to stories about high-skilled immigrants–their fears, worries, and aspirations. ALIEN candidly spotlights these little-heard stories.

As both a high-skilled legal immigrant and a documentary filmmaker, Vidyut brings fifteen years of experience, community contacts, and knowledge of the broken immigration system to this project. Fundamentally, she is a storyteller, keen to explore and share the nuances of this complex and timely subject.

Why is this documentary needed? 

The U.S. media’s focus on illegal and undocumented immigrants means that many Americans know little about legal high-skilled immigrants and the inhumane battles they face. ALIEN seeks to spark and contribute to public discourse on this overlooked issue and contribute to meaningful policy reform.

It is no secret that America needs comprehensive immigration reform. Missing from many public debates is how high-skilled workers who are often exploited and demeaned fit into comprehensive immigration reform. Through the national release of ALIEN, we will change that.

What We Need & What You Get?

• Our immediate goal is to raise $50,000/-                                                                                               
• Alien is five years in the making and an entirely self-funded documentary, but we need your help to complete the film and ensure that film gets ready for distribution in February 2023 for public viewing through film festivals, the national broadcast on PBS, and streaming platforms ( we are already in talks with distribution agents for bringing the film on a credible streaming platform),
• The film is currently in the final stages of post-production. The $50,000 we raise will cover the remaining post-production cost(color grading, animation, music, sound design, sound mixing), marketing, and film promotion.
• We have planned unique perks for every donation we receive. Please check the details on the donation page.  
• International Documentary Association (IDA) is a fiscal sponsor of the film. If you wish to have a tax deduction on your donation, you can skip donating on this website and directly use this link to receive tax benefit: https://alienlegalimmigrants.wedid.it/ 
• We are aiming to reach our goal under all circumstances, and just in case we don’t reach the goal, we will ensure every dollar that is donated to us is used wisely and effectively in pursuing our ambition in bringing this film to the wider audience. 

Join Us

Alien is the first feature documentary focusing on high-skilled immigration made by an immigrant with first-hand personal experience. Through a strategic approach to releasing the film and community engagement, Alien will underscore the importance of a comprehensive approach to reforming the immigration system to make it more humane, fair, and accommodating to all immigrants, including the high-skilled immigrants helping advance the fields of science and technology.

Our release will reach a broad audience and achieve our mission objectives through the following initiatives:

★ Festival Release to build an audience and engage the national press

★ Virtual Events with grassroots and advocacy groups, incl. the film + live Q&A

★ Policymaker Engagement Campaign in DC and legislatures across the country

★ Digital Release of the film commercially through iTunes, Amazon, and Netflix

★ National PBS Broadcast reaching millions of viewers

★ Screenings + discussions at top universities, city libraries, and corporate companies.

Need more time to think? No worries…

Please help us get the word out and make some noise about our campaign.