In Jackson Heights

Hear the story of a border crossing between Mexico and the U.S. Frederick Wiseman’s latest documentary IN JACKSON HEIGHTS shines a light on one of the most ethnically and culturally diverse communities in America, and the world.

Frederick Wiseman’s latest documentary IN JACKSON HEIGHTS shines a light on one of the most ethnically and culturally diverse communities in America, and the world. Immersive and enthralling, revealing issues of assimilation, integration, immigration, and religious and cultural differences, the film proves Jackson Heights to be, in the truest sense, a microcosm of the American melting pot.

"167 languages are spoken in Jackson Heights. There are communities of people from every country in South and Central America as well as large groups of people from Pakistan, Bangladesh, India, Thailand, Nepal and Tibet. They live together with the descendants of earlier immigrations to America-Italian, Jewish and Irish. The area is a true American "melting pot..." ~ Frederick Wiseman

A store owner in Jackson Heights, NY, discusses gentrification. Frederick Wiseman’s latest documentary IN JACKSON HEIGHTS shines a light on one of the most ethnically and culturally diverse communities in America, and the world.

"The shooting method was to walk around filming events in the street, going into businesses (clothing stores, laundromats, bakeries, restaurants, supermarkets), religious institutions (mosques, temples, churches) and collecting sequences and shots that together totaled 120 hours of rushes. When I started I had no idea what the themes, point of view or length would be." ~ Frederick Wiseman

Visit a Hindu temple in Jackson Heights, NY. Frederick Wiseman’s latest documentary IN JACKSON HEIGHTS shines a light on one of the most ethnically and culturally diverse communities in America, and the world.

"What I do is draw a ragged line around a building, group of buildings or a place and say that anything that happens within the boundaries of that arbitrarily selected line is fit for inclusion in the film. Outside the line is another film." ~ Frederick Wiseman

Watch a class of Jackson Heights students learning to become taxi drivers in New York City. Frederick Wiseman’s latest documentary IN JACKSON HEIGHTS shines a light on one of the most ethnically and culturally diverse communities in America, and the world.

New York City Council member, Daniel Dromm, addresses a crowd about the upcoming Pride parade. Frederick Wiseman’s latest documentary IN JACKSON HEIGHTS shines a light on one of the most ethnically and culturally diverse communities in America, and the world.

"IN JACKSON HEIGHTS...is the third in a group of films I have made about communities (the others being ASPEN and BELFAST, MAINE). Just as I have no precise definition of an institution I have no strict definition of a community." ~ Frederick Wiseman

Watch a peaceful LGBT protest in Jackson Heights, NY. Frederick Wiseman’s latest documentary IN JACKSON HEIGHTS shines a light on one of the most ethnically and culturally diverse communities in America, and the world.

In the editing there is a four way conversation going on between (1) my memory of the place; (2) the record of that memory as retained in the rushes; (3) my general experience and (4) the editing process...The film finds its form in that conversation and represents what I learned from the experience of making the film.. ~ Frederick Wiseman