Global Migration Film Festival: Minsk 2018
Global Migration Film Festival: Minsk 2018
This year the International Organization for Migration holds the Global Migration Film Festival (GMFF) for the third time. The festival offers fiction and documentary films about migrants, challenges and potential of migration, problems that migrants may face and, finally, the benefits they bring to societies and communities. The GMFF is another way to show one of the global phenomena from the human side through the lens of cinematography to get rid of prejudices and stereotypes, to think differently and learn more.
Films can INFORM, INSPIRE, TRANSFORM AND PROMOTE INCLUSION
Two GMFF screenings were organized in Minsk – on 2nd and 8th of December*. The festival offered Minskerstwo films: Apricot Groves (Armenia, 2016; Ppuria Heidary Oureh) and Strange Daughter (Germany, 2017; Stephan Lacant)
After each screening viewers had an opportunity to give their feedback filling in the survey and share their opinion about the film or/and the issues raised in the film.
Apricot Groves (Armenia, 2016; Ppuria Heidary Oureh)
About the film:
Aram, the Iranian Armenian youth who has immigrated to the US in childhood returns to Armenia for the first time to propose to an Armenian girlfriend Narbeh met and lived with in the US. Narbeh sees many cultural, religious, and national differences on the one day trip, but harder obstacles are ahead.
133 persons out of all viewers filled in the post-screening surveys.
Survey questions: ? To what extent has the film given you insight into some of the daily experiences of migrants? ? How has the film impacted you? ? Imagine if you were to face one of the experiences demonstrated in the documentary (losing your family, surgery, education, etc). Would you seek to migrate to another country? ? Would you recommend this movie to a friend who wants to have an insight on the issue of migration?
The viewers were also offered to answer questions about the influence of gender inequality and migration and to share what they’ve learnt about migration from the film. Most respondents believe that gender inequality is a push-factor for migration:
I wouldn’t like to experience that myself.
It has direct influence. The film proves it.
It has a very string influence.
About migration:
Migration definitely gives new opportunities.
It’s a very difficult and serious experience, and not everyone will be able to cope with all the difficulties related to migration.
Film impressed me emotionally and gave me food for thought.
Strange Daughter (Germany, 2017; Stephan Lacant)
About the film:
This film is about he German girl Lena who falls in love with Fahrid who is Arab. Religious and cultural differences leads to moral dilemma and conflict that seems to be impossible to resolve.
136 persons out of all viewers filed in the survey.
Questions of the survey: ? If you and your family were subjected to a hard or life-threatening situation (poverty, famine, violence, civil war) in your home country, would you seek migration to a different country? ? How has the film impacted you? ? Do you think that films that tell the stories of migrants (documentary or fiction) are one way to effectively deal with different issues and challenges that face migrants? ? Did watching “Fremde Tochter” change any of your pre-existing perceptions regarding migrants? ? Kindly suggest some solutions you think could contribute to raising awareness in your society regarding migration and promoting tolerance towards migrants? ? The film presented diverse struggles that both migrant and local communities encounter. Could you relate to any of these struggles on the personal level? ? Have you ever witnessed a situation where refugees/migrants were regarded as/treated as terrorists or a threat or were simply unwelcomed? ? Did the film succeed in informing you about migrants and in involving you with the challenges that they encounter in their destination countries? ? Did the film help you understand the magnitude of the problem presented? ? Would you recommend this film to a friend who wants to have an insight on the issues of migration or wants to know more about the issues of migrants?
The viewers were also asked to answer the question about problems that migrants may face when moving to another country:
Stereotypes, discrimination.
Job, no friends and nearest and dearest around.
Region, style of life, traditions.
Language barrier.
*The GMFF screenings took place in Minsk within the 11th annual film festival “Human dignity. Equality. Justice” organized by the UN and EU in Belarus.
