Foreign Puzzle

Directed By Chithra Jeyaram

Suspended between life and death, a Mexican American mother explores uncertainty through dance.

  • ABOUT
  • BIO
  • SCREENINGS

FOREIGN PUZZLE is an intimate documentary that captures the journey of an inspiring Mexican American dancer as she communicates the impermanence of life through dance while juggling the roles of a recently divorced parent of a 6-year-old, a choreographer, and a primary school teacher amidst intensive treatments for breast cancer.

Chithra Jeyaram [She/Her] is a physical therapist-turned-filmmaker who identifies as Tamil. Her films focus on the wisdom, resilience, and love found within both biological and chosen families. In her films—from initial idea to completion—she handles every phase of production: directing, producing, filming, and editing. She also regularly collaborates with other creators on coproductions, contributing her expertise in directing, producing, and editing to their creative work. She is an alumna of prestigious programs, including Visions du Réel’s RoughCut Lab, the Chicken & (Egg)celerator Lab, the BGDM Artist Fellowship, the Gotham Documentary Fellowship, and the Jerome Foundation grant. Her most recent documentary, LOVE CHAOS KIN, fills a vital gap in mainstream adoption narratives by powerfully highlighting a multicultural and multiracial family in an open adoption, showcasing a vision for a more inclusive and connected America. She is the lead producer of the critically acclaimed short documentary AMMA'S PRIDE (2024), which champions unwavering parental support for trans people and marriage equality. She is currently developing a hybrid documentary centered on queer parenting, while also writing the short script THE SHIFT and her debut feature-length screenplay, The LONGEST SUMMER. Food is her first love, and she is an avid runner who has completed 15 marathons. She calls Chennai and New York City home.

Also Available on New Day Films for educational distribution