Written by: Art Scene

This is Home, A Refugee Story

A public showing of This is Home:  a refugee story will be held at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 1, at the Miami Beach Cinematheque, 1130 Washington Ave, Miami Beach. The screening will be followed by a discussion. Because the venue serves alcohol, only adults over the age of 21 are permitted to attend. Tickets can be purchased for $10 or $12 at https://bit.ly/2YrFRF7.

The documentary by Alexandra Shiva is an intimate portrait of four Syrian families arriving in Baltimore, Maryland in 2016 who struggle to adjust to living and supporting themselves in their new country. They have just eight months to find jobs, learn English, and become self-sufficient. When the travel ban on all refugees from Muslim-majority countries adds further complications, their strength and resilience are tested. Despite good intentions, vast cultural differences divide them from the Americans trying to help and understand them. Filmmaker Shiva explores how the displaced community members desperately seek help in a country increasingly hostile to principles of inclusion and opportunity.

Only 21,000 Syrian refugees out of five million have been accepted into the United States since 2011. Some Syrians trying to adjust to living in their new country suffer from the results of torture while others have PTSD and other physical and mental health concerns.

The event is hosted by Refugee Assistance Alliance (RAA), a local nonprofit that helps refugee families navigate life in the U.S., Amnesty International Miami, and others.


About Refugee Assistance Alliance: Established as a Miami-based non-profit in 2017, Refugee Assistance Alliance’s (RAA) seeks to create a society where all displaced persons are warmly embraced as they work towards self-sufficiency and full integration into the United States. Through in-home English language tutoring, children’s homework assistance and a referral system for diverse safety and practical needs, RAA operates as a support network in the community. For more information, visit www.refugeeassistancealliance.org.

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Tags: , , Last modified: July 27, 2019