Tony and Janina's American Wedding

About the Project

This feature length documentary gets to the heart of the broken, red tape ridden U.S. immigration system. After 18 years in America, Tony and Janina Wasilewski's family is torn apart when Janina is deported back to Poland, taking their 6-year old son Brian with her. Set on the backdrop of the Chicago political scene, and featuring Illinois Congressman Luis Gutierrez at the heart of the immigration reform movement, this film follows the Wasilewski's 3-year struggle to be reunited, as their Senator Barack Obama rises to the Presidency. With a fresh perspective on the immigration conversation, this film tells the untold human rights story of Post-9/11, that every undocumented immigrant in America faces today, with the power to open the conversation for change.

The film has garnered support from the largest immigrant rights organizations in the U.S., lobbyists and elected officials. The outreach and audience engagement plan for the film has a strong online component, letter writing campaign, a series of organized house parties, schools, universities screenings as well as targeted special screenings on Capitol Hill. The filmmakers are creating an on-line network for U.S. born children who have been sent back to other countries with their deported parents. Through video & blogging, this network will urge our politicians to modify the legislation to include the rights of children.

The filmmakers have connected with over 200 groups working at the national and neighborhood ground level of all immigrant population communities at the front lines of human rights, immigration and migration policy. Many organizations were actively seeking a tool that could move the conservative leaning on this issue. They are already finding that this film is being used as that tool in several states to help combat dangerous immigration legislation.

The Fledgling Fund Impact

The Fledgling Fund is pleased to have provided post-production support for this compelling film. Tony and Janina's story is representative of so many families in America that fall through the immigration system cracks. Our hope is that this film will become part of the larger movement for humane and sustainable immigration reform.