As we approaching International Migrants Day on 18th December, we have featured 5 movies about human migration and refugees.
Throughout the human history, migration has been a courageous expression of the individual’s will to overcome adversity and to live a better life. Many of us have experienced migration either personally or because our lives have intersected with that of a migrant. The total number of international migrants has increased from an estimated 175 million in 2000 to 244 million persons in 2015, widely distributed across Europe, northern America and Asia.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, many countries have made a slew of rash policy changes that have been extremely detrimental for migrant, refugees, and other displaced communities inside and outside the country’s borders. The current public health crisis has also called attention to their contribute significantly to the economy, to the social fabric of our nation, and to the nation’s response to the pandemic.
In the days leading up to International migrants day, ChangeMakr Asia have featured five powerful movies to challenge and even change our perceptions on the issues of human migration and human rights. Stories of migration and courage.
Movies to watch
1. First They Killed My Father (2017)
Issue : life under Khmer Rouge in Cambodia
Director : Angelia Jolie
Cast : Sareum Srey Moch, Phoeung Kompheak, Sveng Socheata, Min Kimhak
Synopsis : a five-year-old girl embarks on a harrowing quest for survival amid the sudden rise and terrifying reign of the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia.
Language : English, Khmer, French
Where to watch : Netflix
2. Beasts Of No Nation (2015)
Issue : Child refugee in West Africa (R21)
Director : Cary Joji Fukunaga
Cast : Idris Elba, Abraham Attah, Kurt Egyiawan, Jude Akuwudike
Synopsis : when civil war tears his family apart, a young West African boy is forced to join a unit of mercenary fighters and transform into a child soldier. This movie highlights the trauma of forced displacement, forced labor and war on the psychology of children.
Where to watch : Netflix
RELEVANT SUSTAINABLE GOALS
3. Refugee (2016 Documentary)
Issue : A West African refugee seeking asylum for themselves and their children.
Director : Joyce Chen, Emily Moore
Cast : Aicha Ba
Synopsis : Despite the trauma of her past, a life-threatening illness, and the harsh realities in the South Bronx, West African refugee Aicha Ba perseveres, driven solely by the desire to be reunited with her children again. The story of hope and its power to propel human through insurmountable obstacles, ever after losing everything.
Where to watch : Amazon Prime
4. Immigration Nation (2018)
Issue : The moving portraits of immigrants and the true horror of ICE operations in the United States of America.
Director : Christina Clusiau, Shaul Schwarz
Synopsis : A deep look at the state of U.S immigration, utilising unprecedented access to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations
Where to watch : Netflix
5. Stateless (2019)
Issue : The true story about Australian immigration detention
Director : Emma Freeman, Jocelyn Moorhouse
Cast : Yvonne Strahovski, Asher Keddie, Fayssal Bazzi, Marta Dusseldorp, Dominic West
Synopsis : Four characters caught up in an immigration system that profoundly affects their lives. Each character deals with the contradictions of protection and border control from a unique perspective, offering relevant and timely insight into issues that countries are grappling around the world.
Where to watch : Netflix
The article was initially published on 16th December 2020.
