Talks at GS – Telling the Human Side of the Refugee Crisis: “This is Home”

Film Origins and Partnerships

• Princess Feryal of Jordan and her goddaughter, filmmaker Alexandra, co-created a documentary on the refugee crisis following Princess Feryal's long-term work with the International Rescue Committee (IRC) and her upbringing in Jordan amidst refugee flows.
• The project was designed around three specific criteria: hiring an expert filmmaker with personal ties to the cause (Alexandra), securing access to families through IRC networks, and ensuring shared passion and determination.
• The selection process functioned as "casting" for documentary, requiring subjects to be compelling on camera and willing to be filmed, despite initial reluctance from some potential participants.
• Four families were ultimately featured, with two receiving primary focus: one family led by Khaldun and Yasmeen (noted for their humor and emotional expressiveness) and another family of three sisters and their mother, who were highly educated professionals (a doctor and a dentist) with English proficiency.
• The inclusion of the highly educated family served as a deliberate narrative juxtaposition against the primary struggle of language barriers faced by many other refugees.

Artistic Intent and Audience Connection

• The filmmakers' primary objective was to foster an emotional connection where the audience "falls in love" with the subjects, translating the filmmakers' own deep bond to the viewers within a 90-minute runtime.
• Humor was identified as a critical element to balance the pain of uprootedness, showcasing the "comedy of errors" arising from language barriers and cultural displacement.
• The goal was to create an immersive experience allowing audiences to walk alongside the families, rather than passively observing their struggles.

Substantive Themes and Unexpected Challenges

• Gender Dynamics and Dignity: A significant unexpected challenge identified was the preservation of dignity for men facing emasculation due to unemployment and language barriers, leading to cultural friction when wives assumed roles (work, shopping, childcare) that were previously male-dominated.
• The Persistent Nature of Home: The film highlights the psychological reality that "home" remains in a refugee's DNA; even individuals settled and successful in the U.S. express a deep, enduring yearning to return to their country of origin, a sentiment echoed by a senior caseworker who visited her father's grave.
• Realism vs. Aspiration: Despite the fear and lack of self-confidence upon arrival in Baltimore, the subjects became realists, recognizing the U.S. as the only viable home due to the absence of a safe alternative in their war-torn regions.
• Local Integration Success: The film documents grassroots integration efforts, such as a community member inviting refugee women to cook for 125 people at a church fundraiser, illustrating how local support facilitates economic and social stability.

Global Context and Political Implications

• Princess Feryal asserts that no single country's policy can resolve the global refugee crisis, as the root causes are wars, terrorism, and bombing rather than migration policies alone.
• She notes that the current global political climate is "scary," with increasing numbers of people in Africa and other regions becoming internally displaced.
• Jordan's Capacity: Jordan, hosting 5 million refugees against a population of roughly 10 million, is described as a small nation with limited resources absorbing refugees from neighboring conflict zones without time limits under the UN Charter, specifically noting the ongoing presence of Iraqi refugees despite the cessation of major hostilities in Iraq.
• Impact of U.S. Policy: The speakers emphasize that while U.S. generosity is viewed as a "shining light" by emerging nations, a withdrawal of American hospitality would disproportionately impact smaller, host nations that cannot absorb the influx alone.

Call to Action and Community Engagement

• The filmmakers encourage audience members to engage locally through the IRC, mentorship programs, and direct community integration efforts like hosting dinners or supporting refugee employment in their specific fields.
• Princess Feryal suggests that seeing the film should motivate individuals to contact local representatives and advocate for continued generosity and support in the refugee resettlement process.