A Lien

A short film reflecting the operations of U. S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement against undocumented immigrants at their required Greed Card interview.

A family- mother, father , with roots in El salvador, their daughter. Prepaires for interview for man. In time of his interview, the intervention of ICE , arresting people without documents. The SMS of wife as warnings . And the effort to recuperate her daughter, present at interview with her father.

Easy to formulate conclusions about abuse and injustice.

The film proposes only a portrait about policy of American authorities. Well acted, it is a story about one of dark sides of immigration process.

In 2023, the film A Lien was a cautionary tale of what was to come if America continued down its path of Xenophobia. It provokes a scene of terror for a family.

In the 2024 election, a majority of American voters bought the narrative that aliens are all criminals. And now theatre has foreshadowed real life.

We are now fully there. The events depicted in this acted out presentation of a humanitarian nightmare are now happening across the US as plain-clothed ICE agents now grabbing and exporting immigrants who are in the naturalization process. Families are being broken up, and children are being grabbed.

So 9 stars for being both terrifying and exactly prophetic. May god help us all.

"A Lien" is a short film that impresses with its ability to capture tension and fear in situations that should be routine and bureaucratic but instead become matters of life and death. Directed by brothers David and Sam Cutler-Kreuz, the film is precise and effective, pulling the audience into an oppressive and anxiety-inducing scenario. From the very beginning, the chaotic movement inside a car stuck in New York City traffic sets the tone. The camera's tight framing reflects the confined space and heightened emotions, serving not just as a technical detail but as a deliberate narrative strategy that puts the audience right in the midst of the protagonists' emotional whirlwind.

The sound design stands out as one of the film's strongest elements. Echoing footsteps, distant conversations, and everyday noises in the immigration center build a suffocating atmosphere that grows more intense as the story progresses. This soundscape is essential for conveying the vulnerability and uncertainty the characters experience. The cold, impersonal setting of the immigration office-with its concrete and glass walls-further highlights the stark contrast between the supposed normalcy of bureaucratic processes and the lurking brutality hidden beneath the surface. This duality is one of the film's most powerful aspects, transforming ordinary spaces into arenas of extreme tension.

Finally, the performances elevate the film's emotional impact. Victoria Ratermanis delivers a raw and compelling portrayal of Sophia, carrying the silent desperation of someone watching her family teeter on the edge of collapse. William Martinez, despite having less screen time, embodies a vulnerable yet dignified character, making his predicament all the more poignant. "A Lien" isn't just a social commentary on the practices of the U. S. immigration system-it's a film that turns collective experiences into something deeply personal and visceral. This balance between the political and the human makes the short film a must-watch.

I spoke to a few folks in related police, immigration, and government roles. They said this is just not possible. It is compelling to imagine how "bad" ICE can be, but the story grossly exaggerates the process and creates artificial political drama around how families are treated. It just would not happen that way. There are some very bad things happening with non-citizens being deported, but this over-the-top dramatic portrayal creates undue fear and hatred for the process. There is reason to be concerned about the police and ICE for sure, but this dramatization takes it too far and makes these people look cold and evil when they are enforcing the law, which is a shame. The director wrote a fiction story and presented it as reality.

The film concerns the detention of undocumented US residents by ICE when those residents apply for for green cards at immigration centers. This is an ongoing practice and almost certainly sometimes happens when it shouldn't. I suspect, however, that the film presents a highly atypical instance of the practice, and does so for ideological/advocacy reasons as much as artistic/dramatic reasons. A viewer's appreciation of the film likely turns on the viewer's ability to identify with the characters on a personal level (for example, did they react to the situation as I would have?) Frankly, I did not. I found the film heavy handed at best.