An undocumented immigrant named Sisi takes on invisible work and builds a makeshift family in Queens. That’s the story at the center of QUEEN(S), an indie drama opening November 13 at Kew Gardens Cinemas in New York.

Written and directed by Anup Kurian, the film stars Chi Hua Lee-Secci as Sisi, a woman navigating life without legal status in a city that relies on workers it won’t recognize. Shot over three years on location in New York and Southeast Asia, the film is mostly in Mandarin and made by first-generation immigrants.

“What does it mean to be an American?” the film’s poster asks. Kurian says the film challenges simplified narratives about immigration and poses a harder question: what happens when the American Dream doesn’t deliver?

QUEEN(S) opened in Minneapolis on September 17 with sold-out screenings at Riverview and Emagine theaters. The film is being released through the Civic Cinema initiative, which connects screenings to local advocacy groups. Fifty percent of the producers’ box-office share goes to partner organizations in each market. In New York, partners include UnLocal, Red Canary Song, the Asian American Bar Association of New York, and Safe Horizon.

The film was produced by Shanti Bandaru and Deepa Nair, and also stars Dana Pan and Bill Engst. It runs 120 minutes with English subtitles.

QUEEN(S) opens in New York on November 13, with additional cities to be announced.