The immigrant experience in America has been the focus of countless TV shows and films as long as people have been coming to America. The documentary Hudson, America is a shining example of the trials and tribulations of the immigrant experience.
Filmmakers Zurka Kurtz and Geoffrey Hug focus on a group of Bangladeshi students and their Muslim families living in Hudson, New York. Once an economic powerhouse, Hudson is now in decline, although a strong Bangladeshi community has been growing in the community. The film focuses on a central question: What is it like to be a Muslim teenager in the US today?
The timing of the documentary makes this question more poignant. The film was shot right after the 2016 election and continues into the COVID pandemic. With Trump’s election (and the virulent anti-Muslim rhetoric that followed) the group feels increasing hatred. Then the #MeToo movement arises, and they must reckon with past incidents of abuse and assault.
AND THEN COVID happens. These kids can’t catch a break!
You have Farzana, caught between trying to make a name for herself and clashing with Muslim traditions (railing against arranged marriages, wearing a hijab in public, etc.). Siddique raises funds to construct a mosque in Hudson and wants to marry a fashion major (against his parent’s wishes, of course. The threat of parental rejection is basically a character on its own in this film).
Mahmuda is in college throughout the film and must shield her new lesbian relationship against her traditional parents. Jahed, a devout Muslim, is at odds with his Catholic girlfriend due to theological differences. And then you have Jabin, the most politically active of the group, seen organizing rallies against the Muslim travel ban.
There’s a lot to like here, and the filmmakers give each character time to shine. The documentary would work for students studying immigration and for sociology students. Hudson, America would also work well in a presentation about Muslim culture and identity.