Golden Venture
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The film chronicles the ongoing struggles of passengers who were aboard the Golden Venture, an immigrant smuggling ship that grounded near New York City in 1993. Passengers had paid at least $30,000 to be brought to the U.S. from China's Fujian Province, expecting to arrive indebted but unnoticed. But a seemingly golden opportunity quickly evolved into a controversial encounter with the Clinton Administration's new get-tough policies on asylum seekers.
The Golden Venture crash fed a media circus and became a symbol of a growing national concern over illegal immigration. Many passengers were deported over a two-year period, while others were detained for up to four years.
Golden Venture is a global epic, a story of stoic perseverance and unexpected grace, played out in the shadow of national politics. The film tells the story of immigrants who defied death to get here and of the small town lawyers who heroically rose to their defense. The multi-layered narrative also explores the culture of China's Fujian province, provides a case study in cross-ideological community organizing, and examines the role art can play in the struggle for human rights.
At a time when the immigration issue has led to furious debate and high stakes political maneuvering, the fate of the Golden Venture passengers is more relevant than ever.
The Golden Venture crash fed a media circus and became a symbol of a growing national concern over illegal immigration. Many passengers were deported over a two-year period, while others were detained for up to four years.
Golden Venture is a global epic, a story of stoic perseverance and unexpected grace, played out in the shadow of national politics. The film tells the story of immigrants who defied death to get here and of the small town lawyers who heroically rose to their defense. The multi-layered narrative also explores the culture of China's Fujian province, provides a case study in cross-ideological community organizing, and examines the role art can play in the struggle for human rights.
At a time when the immigration issue has led to furious debate and high stakes political maneuvering, the fate of the Golden Venture passengers is more relevant than ever.
