'' And the Pursuit of Happiness '' ( ) is a 1986 documentary film for television directed by Louis Malle about the experiences of immigrants in the United States during the 1980s . It was originally released as part of HBO 's '' America Undercover '' series on Independence Day 1986 . It was screened in the Un Certain Regard section at the 1987 Cannes Film Festival . It was released on public television in 1988 and won a Peabody Award the following year
1987 Cannes Film Festival
1987 Cannes Film Festival
And the Pursuit of Happiness