Fireside Chat, Interview
Talks at GS – Telling the Human Side of the Refugee Crisis: “This is Home”
- Daily refugee arrivals are projected to reach tragic proportions involving hundreds of individuals, with the crisis expected to persist as an open-ended situation for Iraqi refugees under UN Charter guidelines without time limits.
- Global political climates are anticipated to remain volatile with ongoing risks of migration and internal displacement, while unilateral national policies are viewed as insufficient to rapidly resolve the crisis, though they can exert negative impacts.
- Film production relies on securing an expert filmmaker, access to specific families, and a shared passion, requiring subjects who possess humor, work well on camera, are willing to be filmed, and have compelling stories capable of sustaining audience engagement for 90 minutes.
- The resulting narrative intends to juxtapose language barriers against educated English-speaking professionals, highlight the "comedy of errors" stemming from uprooting, and capture deep emotional resonance and personal connections that extend beyond the production timeframe.
- Refugee experiences are expected to feature a persistent sense of exile and a longing for home embedded in their identity despite acknowledging the impossibility of return, with initial fears and lack of self-confidence projected to diminish over time as integration and employment occur.
- The allure of the American dream is identified as particularly strong for those with no choice from the Middle East, while potential shifts in US hospitality policies could negatively impact resource-strained nations like Jordan and surprise nations with delicate geographical locations.
- Future engagement strategies aim to leverage the film to inspire local political advocacy, mentorship, and support for refugees to perform work aligned with their previous professions, alongside various other local integration opportunities.