A series of stories exploring the breadth of human experiences and their relationship to home.
From global migrations to individual journeys, the film navigates the complexities of personal identity, family dynamics, and cultural influence to uncover a universal truth in the infinite number of ways it’s possible to build a home.
HOW
I aim to tell a story in which people who span across age groups, genders, races, and places of origin can all share their personal perspectives of home. To achieve this, I’ve traveled the world interviewing participants in their native languages. Candid, unrehearsed conversations in individual or partnered formats give way to intimate explorations around varying perceptions of home.
WHO
My personal struggle to define home has been with me my entire life. Moving every year made it difficult to develop a sense of security with any particular place or people. While I was raised by an immigrant mother with rich cultural ancestry, I never learned the language I heard being spoken on the phone each day. Even the last house I lived in was demolished soon after going out on my own.
WHAT
What can turn a house into a home? Is it a shared language, space, or person? Perhaps the sense of safety or routine? Maybe even a smell, sound, or taste? These are some of the questions I’ve begun asking as I search for both the common and the unexpected characteristics that can make a place into a home.
WHY
My identity — or more accurately — the lack of one connected to a particular place, people, or culture has led me to investigate the qualities of belonging. While my conversations around the world yield diverse points of view, I aim to uncover both the universal and unique ways in which one can build a home.
