Premieres Monday, Aug. 3, 2026 at 10 p.m. on KPBS TV + Encore Wednesday, Aug. 26 at 8 p.m. on KPBS 2 (Not available on KPBS+)Set in a Silicon Valley “hacker house,” “The Dreamers and I” explores how innovative and disruptive ideas are incubated, nurtured and all too often shattered. Watch the trailer here
“The Dreamers and I” intimately follows three immigrant entrepreneurs navigating the cutthroat world of the American startup. The stories unfold in an underground Silicon Valley “hacker house” over the course of a tumultuous 10-year period.
The film follows three immigrant entrepreneurs trying to make their high-tech dreams come true: Carlos de la Lama-Noriega (Madrid), who started a hacker house that offers an affordable, welcoming live/work community to migrants like material scientist Habibe Turfan (Istanbul) and A.I. creator Lucas González (Seville).
Kelly+Yamamoto Productions / NorCal Public Media
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APTDuring breakfast, Lucas’ youngest daughter Galaleta, begs for a hug. Eli, Lucas’ wife takes out dishes to feed her other three daughters.
Inspired by how similar the battle to start a business and produce a documentary can be, filmmaker Kenji Yamamoto becomes the story’s fourth character, joining Carlos, Habibe and Lucas in their Sisyphean struggles of self-doubt, financial ruin and endangered marriages.
Kelly+Yamamoto Productions / NorCal Public Media
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APTHabibe in her Istanbul office pitching her new product to a potential cutomer
At first, Kenji thought his characters’ failures or successes would define the film but discovered that it is about something deeper: what happens when dreams and reality collide.
Kelly+Yamamoto Productions / NorCal Public Media
Men and women of all ages, backgrounds, and cultures gather in San Francisco for the annual Apple Watch hackathon. With just six hours to design, code, and complete a fully functioning app, they compete for the top prize: Best Apple Watch App. Some work solo, while others arrive as teams—or quickly form them on the spot, drawn together by complementary skills. It’s an exhilarating race against time, where we witness both failure and success unfold by the end of the day.
Credits: Director/Producer/Cinematographer/Editor: Kenji, Yamamoto. Producer/Writer: Nancy Kelly. Distributed by American Public Television
