Archive
Theme
Film and debate
English
Location
Academiegebouw
Broerstraat 5
Groningen
Netherlands
Tickets
Admission free
Interesting links
Refugees, who needs them?
Discussion with Gaya Blom and Heinrich Winters, led by Rick van der Kleij
The rhetoric against immigrants and refugees tightens in the Netherlands. Into this world comes a group few know of: “resettled” refugees, invited by the Dutch government. Refugees: Who Needs Them? is a cinematic, gripping, and humorous look into the lives of refugees - and - ourselves.
For a year, US born filmmaker Miles Roston follows the dramatic story of five: Fathi, an activist escaping death threats from Gaddafi, Fasil, an Ethiopian journalist sentenced to life for condemning fraudulent elections, Li Zhu, a Falun Gong Buddhist, and Jigme and Renuka from Bhutan.
After they barely escape their own governments, they find they're unwanted by governments in Europe as well. Together they embark on a dramatic search to find out whether they are wanted or even needed.
The film is introduced by a clip starring brilliant comedian Dara Faizi, (winner of the jury and audience award Groningen student Cabaret Festival), strong supporter of the film who tragically died last year. The film is followed by a discussion with Gaya Blom, project coordinator resettlement of Stichting UAF (foundation for refugee students), Professor Heinrich Winters, specialist in administrative and asylum law, Frank Kiherere Atukunda, who as an endangered political activist fled Uganda and lived in Kenya before he was resettled to the Netherlands, and the audience, led by Rick van der Kleij.
Refugees Who Needs Them (75 mins) is Dutch spoken with English subtitles.
Organised by Studium Generale and SIB Groningen, Stichting UAF and Ethan Films.
