Staff Blog / Watch Eliot Rausch's powerful new film right now

In 2010, Eliot Rausch won the Grand Prize at the first Vimeo Festival + Awards and received a $25,000 grant to make a new film. That new film is "LIMBO," a powerful documentary told from the perspective of three undocumented students living in the US without legal status. "LIMBO" premiered to a packed, misty-eyed house at the Vimeo Festival this past weekend, and you can watch it right now on Vimeo:

About the process of creating "LIMBO," Eliot said, "I bought [the students] three cameras, paid them a stipend every week to shoot because they were all struggling financially, and I said 'Shoot your lives…let's stay connected, let me walk with you, but ultimately I want you to tell the story you want to tell.'"

After three months of shooting, the students turned over about 250 hours of material to Eliot and Mark Schwartz, the film's producer. The duo combed through hours of footage, passing the project back and forth as they edited and carved out the story. When asked how he feels about the final product, Eliot said, "It's raw… It's another one of those films where the reality of the situation is pretty fucked and it's not an easy question to answer."

By making this film, we think Eliot and his team did a tremendous service to these determined, deserving students. Once you finish "LIMBO," we highly recommend checking out our post-screening Q&A with Eliot, viewable below:

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32 Comments

The Film Artist

The Film Artist Plus

I watched the interview, great emotion and insight into the film, I also appreciate his advice, well done Eliot is the filmmaker of the future and will inspire so many more :)

All Aces Media

All Aces Media PRO

As we keep striving to be better in our craft, it is filmmakers like Eliot that inspires us and shows us how to tell a compelling story. He is a class act and an amazing talent.

roto

roto Plus

(I am) without words!

Matt Rath

Matt Rath Plus

Beautiful! I've had the opportunity to film all over Latin America and make friends with some of the most inviting and loving people I've ever met. Great concept and great story, thank you for sharing!

Jeremy Esters

Jeremy Esters

I love it. Raw footage and being able to walk along side these people threw there lives is pure art.

Mike Skrzynski

Mike Skrzynski

Very moving. Appropriate that there is no resolution as there is none yet for numerous others in similar situations.

Tony Ananias

Tony Ananias

Wonderfull. VEry very moving. Tks Eliot.

Gene Sharp

Gene Sharp Plus

nice idea with the film, but I think illegal aliens are ummmm illegal??? There is a right way to come to America and I am perplexed as to why so many are so emotional about these guys. We all go to work, we all struggle, and we all have pains ect. Send them back home. It's amazing how many poor protesters have expensive smart phones.

Jack Varnell

Jack Varnell

Eliot, I am again blown away by the humanity and humility of the work you have chosen as your mission. Congratulations, and I wish you much continued success, not for the glory of it (we know where that goes) but because you demonstrate through your acts and craft it is a gift that flows through your hands, and spilling out as hope. Be well friend and thanks.

Steeve

Steeve

Very nice piece of work. The film is very emotive, informative and educational...educational in the way where it at teaches us to be strong and supportive for each other in times of needs and pain...The earth is OUR home..All of us... loved it.

Nuurs Ortiz

Nuurs Ortiz

Amazing work!, thanks for sharing this documentary and big congrats for winning the Grand Prize.
is a shame that some people have to live with the fear of being deported and separated from their families at any time, and denied the right to education, and be persecuted as criminal without being criminal.
But it is more shameful that someone makes a negative comment after watching this documentary, like one of the comments above ......shame on you buddy!!! ......unfortunately there are also people who see this abuse and stay quiet.

"The world is a dangerous place, not Because of Those who do evil, But Because Of Those who look on and do nothing." - Albert Einstein

Chip Dizard

Chip Dizard Plus

What a great film and what makes it even better is that the students have a voice. One of the hardest things as a filmmaker is to yield control. It was done well and the story flowed. Eliot and Mark should be commended for taking on such a controversial, but yet important topic.

Mustafa Shaikh

Mustafa Shaikh

Great Cause, Noble idea and best of all simple story telling, well done Elliot. I wish this film can help change the system deep down

Laura Maizels

Laura Maizels

made me open my mind up a little bit to consider a different point of view

GALLEN

GALLEN Plus

Really beautiful, though-provoking and emotional work. Incredible film.
I especially loved the music.

Opeyemi Fagbohungbe

Opeyemi Fagbohungbe

Amazing....just brought me to tears! we use this medium to tell stories that will impact the life of others.
Thanks for this. #inspirational

dean watson

dean watson

a very powerful moving film.. you have been seen... you have been understood... all power to you from my small room in australia

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