Fall to Grace (2006)

A high-school-aged Eastern European immigrant finds that life in a new land can have its fair share of difficulties in writer/director Mari Marchbanks's inspiring tale of interconnecting lives. Alexei is a Georgian who moves to the U.S., with his family in tow and the intention of building a new life. Unfortunately, he is only able to land a job as a day laborer. Kristofer hopes to make it as a basketball star and is just looking to find his footing on the court and in the classroom, a task made ever more difficult due to the family's dire financial situation. He develops an enduring crush on the girl next door, Sarah, and though her life is fraught with complications, it seems that Kristofer may be able to turn her around. As the troubled lives in the story crisscross, the characters' intersections and interactions ironically generate hope and shared compassion for one another.