Based on a true story, Stowaways is a film about the lives of Chinese immigrants in the United States. In the early 1990s, a group of underprivileged young people from mainland China chose to cross the ocean and sneak into US, in hopes of finding gold in America. More than two decades later, have they achieved their dreams in America? How are they getting along?
In the 1990s, a group of Chinese people crossed the Mexico border to come to the U.S., and settled in New York. They risked everything-their lives and their families' lives-to come here in search of gold. Their story once was prominent in American society, but later got buried by those of illegal immigrants from different countries.
Stowaways isn't about what happened to these Chinese immigrants 30 years ago; it's about what happens today-and tomorrow. It's a story about humanity, fate, and relationships in a time of rapid technological advancement and a society where people of different cultures, ages and beliefs all come together.
Director Statement:
In the past 3 decades of my life, I have worked in 4 countries and become close friends with vastly different people. Among them, what I found in common is that we are all just tiny cogs in the grand machinery of time. Regardless of our culture or social status, we are all vulnerable to the unpredictable forces that can dramatically alter the course of our lives. And yet, amidst this uncertainty, there is always an enduring spirit of resilience and hope that keeps us going.
To illustrate this, I chose as my subject the illegal Chinese immigrants in the heart of the United States. On one hand, Chinese are perceived to be shrewd, apathetic, and conforming. On the other hand, they're known for their wisdom, diligence, and, above all, kindness. How they navigate their fate in an unfamiliar environment sheds light on the complex realities of human life, and inspires viewers to look beyond the stereotypes to explore the ever-changing world that shapes their own lives.
