Trailer for the documentary Well-Founded Fear.
Never before has a camera been allowed to capture the fateful thumbs up or down vetting process of the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS), the U.S. government agency which decides who gets political asylum in America and who doesn't. Critical to each decision is a "well-founded fear" that deportation would place an applicant's life in jeopardy, and it's up to INS officials to sort through unfamiliar languages, cultures, and conflicts to decide who is truthful. Directors Shari Robertson and Michael Camerini convey an unforgettable glimpse into the lives of intrepid souls desperate to share in the freedoms we Americans take for granted and of beleaguered bureaucrats who must face issues of profound moral responsibility on a daily basis.