DIRECTOR’s VISION
This story is deeply personal to me. I was born in the Democratic Republic of Congo and moved to Maine when I was nine years old. Filmmaking became the way I processed that transition and learned to understand my place in the world. Like Nathan, I was often called a mondele, someone seen as “too American,” and that label shaped how I navigated belonging, family, and self-definition. The dynamics in Mondele come directly from the community that raised me. This lived experience is why I am uniquely positioned to tell this story with honesty and care.
The immigrant experience remains at the center of America’s cultural, political, and emotional conversation, yet it is often reduced to headlines and soundbites. ICE raids, political rhetoric, and public debate dominate the narrative. With Mondele, we want to show who we are beyond the headlines. Immigrant stories matter, and films like Mondele are an act of protest, asserting the humanity that the current administration often fails to see.
A Coming-of-Age Story for Immigrant Kids
Nathan, a Gen Z teenager who dreams of becoming a filmmaker, represents millions of young people who inherit both the weight and the beauty of their parents’ sacrifices. His mother, Mary, left her home country in pursuit of a better life, only to confront the personal cost of starting over. She learns a new language, releases long-held expectations, and faces change even when it feels painful and destabilizing. Their conflict reflects a universal question: what do we carry with us when we leave home, and what do we risk losing along the way?
