In 1892, Ellis Island, in New York Bay, became the main gateway to the United States for immigrants arriving increasingly from Europe. The story of immigration to the United States from 1892 to 1954, an enthralling polyphonic narrative that embraces both small and great history.
Editing
Juxtaposition of hopeful faces with cold medical inspections.
Production
Restored 1890s footage that looks stolen from time itself.
Director
Michaël Prazan
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Prazan found previously unseen 35mm footage in a Paris basement that no American archive knew existed—ironically, the immigrants' own images had emigrated back to Europe.
The film's French production funding sparked minor controversy: a documentary about American identity, told largely by French historians, premiered at a moment when France was itself debating 'national identity.'
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