Screening – DIVERSITY PLAZA

Drawing inspiration from Frederick Wiseman’s classic aesthetic, Nepalese filmmaker Kesang Tseten spends a year observing the community and culture of Himalayan immigrants in and around the Jackson Heights neighborhood of Queens. During the buildup to the 2020 U.S. Census, the inhabitants reveal their motivation to have their presence recorded, encouraged by visits from their political representatives, including Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. In carefully captured verite footage, we see a rich portrait of people deeply connected to homeland traditions while adjusting to life in exile. – Jaie Laplante