Oaxacalifornia: The Return (2022)
Oaxacalifornia: The Return
”Three generations of a Mexican-American family navigate their identities in California.”
Trailer
Why watch this film?
The British documentary filmmaker with residence in Mexico, Trisha Ziff (Witkin and Witkin: A Photographer and a Painter) revisits one of her first works 25 years later, portraying once again the Mexican immigrant family in California, the Mejías, which now spans three generations scattered between the United States and their native Oaxaca, Mexico. Oaxacalifornia: The Return becomes a documentary that explores the complexities of migrant identities, that feeling of "not belonging here or there," with children facing different lifestyles than their parents, and reconciling their conceptions of the world with roots that they may not know but to which they are connected by their parents.
Filmelier
Our suggestions
Plot summary
An intimate portrait of three generations of a Mexican-American family in California, 'Oaxacalifornia: The Return' revisits the Mejía family twenty-five years after they were first portrayed negotiating their place in a new environment, digging deep into the complexities of multi-generational immigrant identities and the nuances of both belonging and otherness to become a moving epic about the fabric of the US.
To share
Do you want to watch something different?
Watch full movies now!
Press play and be surprised!
Where to watch?
From the same director
A Tale of Two Kitchens
This Netflix documentary explores what Mexican food can mean in two different cultures. On one side, there's Contramar restaurant, by Gabriela Cámara, in Mexico City, which provides a sense of community to its workers. On the other side, Cala restaurant in San Francisco exists between the contradictions of American love for Mexican food and rejection of their neighbor country. 'Cooking Good' is a culinary journey but also a culture shock of close yet distant cultures.
Witkin & Witkin
The British photographer and documentarian based in Mexico, Trisha Ziff, returns with a new feature film that, like her previous works 'Chevolution', 'La Maleta Mexicana' and 'The Man Who Saw Too Much', revolves around the image as a form of expression, to see history or life itself. Nominated for the Ariel Award for Best Original Music (Jacobo Lieberman), 'Witkin & Witkin: A Photographer & A Painter' is a documentary starring two renowned twin artists in their different disciplines: Joel-Peter Witkin in photography, and Jerome Witkin in painting. Beyond the power of their works, Trisha Ziff delves into the artistic individuality of each one and, on a path that also collects their life stories, also shows how different and distant two people can be, even if they share genes and shared experiences in common.
Documentary
Hack Your Health: The Secrets of Your Gut
Delve into the digestive system with this lighthearted and informative documentary that demystifies the role gut health plays in our overall well-being.
The Doomsday Cult of Antares De La Luz
Almost ten years after being convicted of a heinous crime, former members of a Chilean cult share their haunting experiences.
Dorival Caymmi - Um Homem de Afetos
An irresistible journey through the universe of the singer and composer that revolutionized the song in Brazil and influenced generations of musicians, paving the way for movements such as Bossa Nova and Tropicália.
The Falling Sky
Documentary about Indigenous peoples’ profound connection to nature and their struggle against deforestation, a grave threat to their way of life and the ecosystem they call home.
