Samuel Soliman, Adrian Selkowitz on Almost American | Big Sky Documentary Film Festival Interview

From the 23rd Annual Big Sky Documentary Film Festival in Missoula, Montana, we sit down in the Trail 103.3 studios with filmmaker and subject Sam Soliman to talk about his short documentary Almost American — a deeply personal story that also reflects the larger national conversation around immigration, DACA, and belonging in the United States.Sam shares how a leadership grant in Lancaster, Pennsylvania sparked the project, why travel restrictions under DACA shaped the journey, and what it’s like to document your own life while living the story in real time. We also hear from members of the film team about shaping the film through multiple cuts and what it meant to premiere at Big Sky.Plus, Sam talks about his mental-health-focused streetwear brand Hood Hippie: Love Yourself and the mission behind building community through creativity.Film: Almost American Festival: Big Sky Documentary Film Festival (Missoula, MT) Year: 2025 Runtime: 15 minutes Country: USA World PremiereDirectors: Saritha Rothermel, Samuel Soliman Producers: Adrian Selkowitz, Baktash AhadiScreenings & Showtimes (ZACC – Missoula)Monday, February 16 @ 5:30 PMTuesday, February 17 @ 1:30 PMFriday, February 20 @ 4:00 PM🎥 Virtual Screening: Available to stream February 21–26, 2026 More info and tickets at bigskyfilmfest.orgAbout the Film:For Sam, America has always been home. Yet without a pathway to citizenship, he — along with more than half a million DACA recipients — lives in legal limbo, dependent on a temporary status renewed every two years. When his mother is suddenly deported, Sam is forced to confront his own precarious reality through a new lens.Categories:Mini-Doc Competition World Premiere Shorts Activism & Justice📲 Instagram: @almostamericandoc