Milad Tangshir's Anywhere, Anytime (2024): A Modern Odyssey of an Undocumented Immigrant

Short Summary: A Stolen Bicycle, A Fractured Life, A Cry for Dignity

Milad Tangshir's debut feature, Anywhere, Anytime, reimagines De Sica's Bicycle Thieves in contemporary Turin, focusing on Issa, a young Senegalese undocumented immigrant. His fragile stability as a food-delivery rider, achieved through a friend's borrowed identity, shatters when his vital bicycle is stolen. The film plunges into Issa's desperate search, a poignant odyssey that exposes the systemic precarity of undocumented labor, the pervasive social invisibility of marginalized communities, and one man's relentless fight for survival and dignity amidst an indifferent society.

Link IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt18691614/

Link Review:https://icsfilm.org/festivals/venice/2024-venice/venice-2024-review-anywhere-anytime-milad-tangshir/

About movie: https://www.fandango.it/film/anywhere-anytime/

Link to watch (industry professionals): https://pro.festivalscope.com/film/anywhere-anytime

Detailed Summary: A Precarious Balance Shattered by a Stolen Dream

Anywhere, Anytime centers on Issa, a young undocumented immigrant from Senegal, navigating a tenuous existence in Turin, Italy. After losing his market job due to fears of police scrutiny, Issa finds a new, albeit precarious, livelihood as a food-delivery rider, leveraging a friend Mario's phone and identity. This job represents not just income, but a fragile thread of connection to society and a glimmer of hope.

This delicate balance is brutally disrupted on his very first day as a rider when his newly acquired bicycle, his sole means of income and independence, is stolen. The film then follows Issa on a desperate, agonizing Sunday search across the city. This quest pulls him into a dramatic spiral of events, forcing him to confront the harsh realities of his undocumented status, the indifference of the system, and the limited options available to him.

Through Issa's journey, the film meticulously details the exploitation inherent in the "gig economy" for vulnerable populations and serves as an indictment of the forces that trap undocumented immigrants on the fringes of society. Inspired by classic neorealist cinema, Milad Tangshir, an Iranian-born director who emigrated to Italy, imbues the narrative with a deeply humanistic perspective, focusing on Issa's quiet resilience and dignity despite escalating desperation and tragic outcomes.

Plot Summary: The Quest for Survival in an Unforgiving City

• The Loss of Livelihood: Issa, an undocumented immigrant, loses his market job due to a police inspection, highlighting his precarious legal status.

• A Glimmer of Hope: He secures a new job as a food-delivery rider by using his friend Mario's phone and identity, providing a semblance of stability.

• The Stolen Lifeline: On his very first day, Issa's newly purchased bicycle, essential for his work, is stolen, devastating his immediate future.

• The Desperate Search: He embarks on a relentless and increasingly desperate search for his bicycle across Turin, encountering various challenges and setbacks.

• Confrontation with Reality: His odyssey forces him to confront the systemic indifference and exploitation faced by undocumented individuals, leading to escalating dramatic tension.

• Tragic Resolution: The film culminates in a poignant and often heartbreaking series of events, as Issa's anger and the unforgiving circumstances drive him to a desperate act, underscoring the dehumanizing aspects of his struggle.

Director's Vision: Reimagining Neorealism for the Migration Crisis

Milad Tangshir, an Iranian-born director based in Italy, explicitly reinterprets the tenets of Italian neorealism, particularly Vittorio De Sica's Bicycle Thieves, to address the modern crisis of undocumented migration.

• Humanistic Focus: His primary goal is to tell a profoundly humanistic story about an ordinary man facing extraordinary, systemic challenges, allowing the audience to empathize with Issa's plight.

• Staging Reality: Tangshir aims to "stage reality" without falling into "the rhetoric of 'usual films about immigrants'," seeking an authentic and unvarnished portrayal of their lives.

• Social Indictment: The film is conceived as an "effective indictment against capitalist and government forces that trap undocumented immigrants," highlighting systemic injustices.

• Authenticity and Subtlety: Having directed shorts on immigration (Displaced) and natural disasters (13 Seconds), Tangshir employs a subtle, interior approach to emotion, emphasizing realism over overt dramatization, trusting his lead actor Ibrahima Sambou to convey Issa's despair through quiet determination.

Themes: Migration, Precarity, Dignity, and Social Alienation

• Undocumented Immigration: The central theme, vividly portraying the daily struggles, legal vulnerabilities, and psychological toll of living as an undocumented person.

• Precarious Labor and the Gig Economy: The film critically examines how modern labor structures, particularly the gig economy, often exploit the most vulnerable populations, offering minimal security and high risk.

• Dignity and Resilience: Despite the overwhelming odds and dehumanizing circumstances, Issa's unwavering pursuit of his bicycle symbolizes his fight to maintain his dignity and carve out a space for himself.

• Social Alienation and Invisibility: The narrative emphasizes the societal indifference and the feeling of being unseen or unheard experienced by those on the margins, even within a bustling city.

• Justice and Injustice: The film implicitly questions societal notions of justice when an individual's basic right to livelihood is jeopardized by systemic failures and criminal acts.

• The Elusive European Dream: It subtly critiques the often-romanticized "European Dream," revealing the harsh realities that many migrants face upon arrival.

Key Success Factors: A Timely Story, Powerful Performance, and Festival Buzz

• Highly Relevant Subject Matter: The film tackles the urgent and complex global issue of undocumented migration and precarious labor, resonating strongly with contemporary social and political discourse.

• Ibrahima Sambou's Commanding Performance: The debut of Ibrahima Sambou as Issa is a standout, praised for its nuanced portrayal of resilience, vulnerability, and quiet desperation, anchoring the film's emotional core.

• Skilled Direction and Neorealist Echoes: Milad Tangshir's directorial vision effectively updates a cinematic classic, demonstrating a mature and sensitive approach to a challenging topic.

• Strong Festival Presence: Its premiere at the Venice Critics' Week and subsequent selections for TIFF, Busan, and Cairo highlight its critical appeal and artistic merit on the international stage.

• Authentic Storytelling: The film's grounded realism and focus on the human element allows it to deliver a powerful social commentary without becoming overtly didactic.

Awards and Nominations: A Promising Festival Debut

Anywhere, Anytime made a significant impact on the international film festival circuit:

• Venice International Film Festival 2024 (81st edition, Critics' Week):

  • Winner: Premio Fondazione Fai Persona Lavoro Ambiente Award

  • Winner: Luciano Sovena Award (for Best Debut Film, often informally associated with Critics' Week)

  • Nominated: Critics' Week Award (Best Film)

• Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) 2024: Official Selection.

• Busan International Film Festival 2024: Official Selection.

• Cairo International Film Festival 2024: Official Selection.

Critics Reception: An Authentic and Moving Indictment

• International Cinephile Society: Praises it as "an effective indictment against the capitalist and government forces that trap undocumented immigrants on the margins of society," commending Tangshir's "modestly-scaled story" and Ibrahima Sambou's "charismatic and delicate performance."

• The Asian Cut (TIFF 2024 Review): Notes Tangshir's successful "re-contextualis[ation]" of Bicycle Thieves themes within modern migration, drawing influences from Italian and Iranian Neorealist movements. It highlights the film's exploration of "the fear and constant anxiety of those who... live in the cracks of society," rating it 3.5 out of 5 despite some "heavy-handed writing" in the third act.

• In Review Online: Applauds Tangshir's "clarity of vision" and the film's "determination to shed light on contemporary migrants' precarious socio-economic situation," noting its "documentary-style humanism."

• Festival Scope Pro: Mentions critics praising the film for "staging reality without falling into the rhetoric of 'usual films about immigrants'," and for being an "effective indictment" against systemic forces.

• Overall Summary: Critics widely commend Anywhere, Anytime as a strong and authentic feature debut for Milad Tangshir. Its powerful humanistic approach to the sensitive topic of undocumented migration, the nuanced central performance, and its successful modern reinterpretation of a classic are consistently highlighted. While some minor critiques might touch upon pacing or specific narrative choices, the film's social relevance and artistic integrity are broadly recognized.

Reviews: Emotive Echoes of a Timeless Struggle

• Variety: Highlights the film's "vivid and alive" cinematography of Turin and its unique, eclectic soundtrack that blends Western, Middle Eastern, and African music, adding depth to the cultural hybridity of the narrative.

• Festival Scope Pro (Director Statement): Tangshir himself states his intention to highlight how "many demands from that era are still proving necessary" and to remind audiences "how hard it was to reach the point we're at today and how easy it can be to undo all that we have achieved so far."

• Overall Summary: Reviews consistently emphasize the film's emotional impact and its success in drawing parallels between historical struggles and contemporary issues of migration and precarity. The film is seen as a poignant and important contribution to the cinematic discourse on human rights and social justice, offering an intimate look at a widespread global challenge.

Release date on streaming: Limited Availability

As of July 2025, Anywhere, Anytime is generally not available for streaming on major global platforms. Its primary distribution thus far has been through film festivals and limited theatrical runs in specific regions. Potential future streaming availability would likely depend on international distribution deals.

Why to recommend movie: A Poignant and Relevant Human Story

• Timely and Essential Viewing: It offers a deeply human and empathetic look into the urgent and often overlooked struggles of undocumented immigrants in modern society.

• Masterful Debut Direction: Milad Tangshir showcases a clear and sensitive directorial voice, skillfully adapting a classic narrative to a contemporary issue.

• Exceptional Lead Performance: Ibrahima Sambou's acting is lauded as a standout, carrying the film with depth and authenticity.

• Social Commentary with Heart: The film is a powerful indictment of systemic injustices but tells its story with a focus on individual dignity and resilience, avoiding simplistic rhetoric.

• Connection to Cinematic History: For cinephiles, its clear homage to Bicycle Thieves provides an interesting layer of intertextual engagement.

Movie Trend: The Resurgence of Socially Charged Neorealism

Anywhere, Anytime aligns with a contemporary trend in world cinema focusing on social issue dramas, particularly those that explore the experiences of migrants and marginalized communities in Europe. It revisits the tenets of neorealism, employing non-professional actors and a stark, realistic style to highlight real-world problems. This trend often sees films drawing attention to human rights, economic precarity, and the challenges of integration.

Social Trend: The Human Face of Migration and Precarious Work

The film directly engages with the critical social trend of the human experience within the global migration crisis and the rise of precarious labor. It challenges abstract policy debates by putting a compelling human face on the often-invisible lives of undocumented workers. It highlights the vulnerability of individuals within the "gig economy" and addresses the broader societal issues of xenophobia and indifference faced by immigrants, highlighting how "newcomers are often seen as a burden, rather than as a vital part of society."

Final Verdict: A Vital and Unforgettable Cinematic Voice

Milad Tangshir's Anywhere, Anytime is a truly vital and emotionally resonant film. It's a modern classic in the making, taking the enduring themes of Bicycle Thieves and expertly transplanting them into the context of contemporary migration with profound impact. Anchored by Ibrahima Sambou's remarkable performance and Tangshir's empathetic direction, the film is a powerful, understated, and ultimately heartbreaking testament to the resilience of the human spirit in the face of systemic adversity. It is an essential watch for anyone seeking a deeper understanding of one of the defining social issues of our time.