Understanding Immigration: McLean Woman Produces Film

McLean resident Wendy Thompson-Marquez is the producer of a new film, “Harvest of Empire,” that is currently screening across the country.

Locally, the film is being shown at Majestic Theater in Silver Spring, Md. Thompson-Marquez, a native of Lima, Peru, immigrated to the United States 25 years ago and wanted people to better understand the reasons why immigrants from Central and South America have come to the country.

“I’m an immigrant, and I felt that it was important to show people and create an understanding of the forces that drive people to leave their homes, so we can have a more humane understanding of the plight of immigrants, and also to dispel some negative stereotypes that sometimes people have about the Latino community,” Thompson-Marquez told Patch.

“So, I felt it was important to get involved. I know what it is to be an immigrant, and I know how people who come to be here work hard to create a better life for them and their families.”

The film takes a look at the role that U.S. economic and military interests played in triggering an unprecedented wave of migration that is transforming the nation’s cultural and economic landscape. Learn more at www.harvestofempiremovie.com.