Upon Entry

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Alejandro Rojas directs. Juan Sebastián Vásquez behind the camera. Emanuele Tiziani cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in Spain. Dialogue in Catalan, Spanish, English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

• 1Tight 77-minute runtime — shorter than most television pilots.
• 2Released 3 years ago.
• 3Dialogue crosses 3 languages: Catalan, Spanish, English.
• 4Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.
• 5Directed by Alejandro Rojas, shot by Juan Sebastián Vásquez. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
• 6Editor Emanuele Tiziani shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
• 7Alberto Ammann and Bruna Cusí and Ben Temple carry the top of the cast.
• 8Marketing tagline: "To enter the "Land of Opportunities" you must tell the truths...".
• 9IMDB entry: tt22964884 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

The technical file

Cinematography

Juan Sebastián Vásquez

Editing

Emanuele Tiziani

Sound

Jordi Cirbián

Runtime

77 min · 1h 17m

Aspect ratio (typical)

1.37:1 (Academy)

Status

Released

Original language

ES

IMDB

Upon Entry (2023) ↗

Also by

Alejandro Rojas

• 
  Ogu & Mampato in Rapa Nui

  2002 · ★ 7.0
• 
  Papelucho y el marciano

  2007 · ★ 4.3

Stills · wallpapers

Selected frames

Full-resolution frames — open one to save it as a wallpaper.

Wallpaper

Trailers & featurettes

Watch the pieces

• 

  ▶
  Official Trailer [Subtitled]

  Trailer · Official

Community reviews

What people are saying

• Brent Marchant2024-01-11
  ★ 8/10

  Welcome to America, land of the free and home of the brave, a sanctuary for the world’s poor, tired and huddled masses. Or is it? That’s the question raised in this gripping, edgy debut feature from the writing-directing duo of Alejandro Rojas and Juan Sebastián Vasquez. When a Spanish couple (Alberto Ammann, Bruna Cusí) relocating to the US on legally obtained visas to begin a new life, they’re detained by authorities on arrival at the New York port of entry for intense questioning about matters of an undisclosed nature. With no explanation for the interrogation, they’re subjected to an increasingly intrusive line of questioning by two antagonistic agents (Ben Temple, Laura Gómez) who offer no rationale for their hostile scrutiny. It’s an exercise on par with an increasingly brutal fraternity hazing ritual, one aimed at ultimately trying to uncover some kind of allegedly illegal scheme driven by trumped-up speculation and the couple’s growing resistance to cooperate, especially when they seem to be guilty at best of failing to dot a few i’s and cross a few t’s. They become reluctant to answer highly personal questions, leading to circumstances that eventually threaten to tear apart the fabric of the duo’s obviously loving relationship. While it’s certainly reasonable to employ prudent security precautions in immigration and customs scenarios, is this kind of unduly malicious treatment really necessary, particularly when the couple ostensibly appears to be playing by all the rules? Is this the America we want, one driven by paranoia and pervasive suspicion? And, if so, then why would anyone want to come here in the first place, even when making a diligently concerted effort to follow all of the legally sanctioned protocols? This film sends a powerful message about these kinds of practices, especially given that some of them have actually been in place far longer than most American citizens are aware of. These issues are disturbingly brought to life by the film’s meticulously crafted writing, which keeps characters and viewers alike guessing about what’s playing out, combined by the superb performances of the four principals, who effectively convey the anguish and fright being wrought on screen. This Tubi TV offering is highly deserving of its three Independent Spirit Award nominations for best first feature, best first screenplay and best editing, even if it’s also the kind of picture that makes audiences uneasy – but, then, maybe that’s the point behind it, too, a goal at which it succeeds brilliantly.

  Read full review ↓

Production companies

Who made it

• ZA

  Zabriskie Films

  ES

• SY

  Sygnatia

  ES

Key crew

• EditorEmanuele Tiziani
• Executive ProducerRaquel Perea
• Executive ProducerIris Martín-Peralta
• ProducerCarles Torras
• ProducerCarlos Juárez
• ProducerXosé Zapata
• ProducerSergio Adria
• ProducerAlba Sotorra
• Sound Re-Recording MixerJordi Cirbián
• SoundJordi Cirbián
• Sound DesignerJordi Cirbián

Themes & keywords

What it's about, really

• göç
• sınır
• sorgu

Release history · US

When it landed

• Premiere2023-03-10· South by Southwest Film & TV Festival
• Digital2023-12-12· Tubi

Also known as

International titles

• La llegadaES
• Upon EntryUS
• GirişteTR
• Upon Entry (La llegada)ES