Searching for Roots in Canton (2012) follows a Chinese American, Nathan, and a Chinese-African American, Alana, to Canton, China to search for their ancestral homes. They discover a history of Chinese American heritage that they never knew. They travel to the land of the famous watchtower diaolous, where their ancestral villages are located in the towns of Kaiping and Enping. After meeting family members and paying worship to their ancestors, both travelers open themselves emotionally to the viewers as they find healing and catharsis upon realizations of why they are driven to search for their roots. Nathan finds peace and closure over the loss of his grandfather who passed away suddenly when he was a young boy. Alana releases feelings of guilt and shame about her racial identity which were repressed since childhood. They both gain a clearer perspective of what it means to be Chinese as well as American.
