Culture Shock is a horror-thriller film that was released in 2019 and directed by Gigi Saul Guerrero. The film focuses on a young Mexican woman named Marisol (played by Martha Higareda) who crosses the border illegally to get to the United States in search of a better life. She is promised by coyotes that she will find the American dream on the other side of the border. However, upon arriving, she finds herself trapped in a Utopian community where nothing is what it seems.
Marisol quickly realizes that the community is not what she thought it would be. The residents are happy all the time and there is a stringent adherence to rules and regulations. But as Marisol starts to uncover the truth behind the facade, she begins to realize that the community is actually a sinister part of a larger scheme designed to exploit people seeking a better life in America.
As Marisol attempts to escape and make her way back to Mexico, she is faced with challenges that test her will to survive. She finds herself at the mercy of a group of ruthless people who stop at nothing to keep their community in order, including taking the lives of those who don't agree with their ideology.
Culture Shock is a timely metaphor for the real-life experiences of immigrants in the US who are always in search of the American dream, only to often find themselves in a nightmare. The film explores themes of immigration, identity, and inequality, making it both topical and relevant. While it is primarily a horror-thriller, the film also has social commentary that will leave audiences thinking about the issues it raises.