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3. Watch a movie about refugees

To do this, you could check what’s on in your local cinema, or you could create your own cinema experience.

Watch a movie about refugees

It’s easy:
nip down to your local library or go to Brightwide.com and pick the best in thought-provoking and head-stretching cinema, then make some popcorn and invite some friends round. You’ll find that in this way you can save money and at the same time open your mind to new horizons and bring some amazing characters into your life.

Don't know where to start from? How about you start an Axis of Good Film Club?

Here are some suggestions:

Iraq

Film stock, and chemicals for film labs were forbidden under UN sanctions in the 90s, which decimated the Iraqi cinema industry. Things have improved since then, and Ahlaam (2004) - a feature film by Mohamed Al Daradji - was Iraq's 2007 Oscar entry.

Iran

Persepolis (2007). Hit animated coming-of-age story about an outspoken Iranian girl during the Islamic Revolution. Nominated for Academy Award in 2008

North Korea

Pulgasari (1985). Epic sci-fi monster movie directed by kidnapped South-Korean director Shin Sang-ok. Probably the most internationally well-known North Korean film.

Cuba

I Am Cuba (1965). Beautifully shot Russian-made propaganda movie.

Libya

Mohammad, Messenger of God (1977). Director Moustapha Akkad saw the film as a way to bridge the gap between the Western and Islamic world. Starring Anthony Quinn, the film was funded by Colonel Gaddafi after Akkad faced resistance from Hollywood. The film was nominated for an Oscar, but American box office takings were dampened after the US premiere was mistakenly attacked by Muslim extremists.

Syria

Syria is a country with six cinemas, and state censorship sometimes permits movies to be made but not shown. The prize-winning We Will Live To See These Things, Or Five Picture Of What May Come To Pass (2007) pieces together five competing visions of Syria's future to create a compelling portrait of Syria today.Add your action to the Action Counter

Israel

Waltz with Bashir (2008). Critically-acclaimed, multi award winning animated film directed by Ari Folman. The film deals with the 1982 Sabra and Shatila massacre of Palestinian refugees in Lebanon. It took four years to complete and is an international co-production between Israel, Germany and France.

Tooool kits

Read our simple step-by-step guide to watching a movie about refugees!

Lots of good films Bright Wide

For a complete list of films about exile visit the Refugee Week Refugees in Films archive

Or check out BrightWide.com for a selection of provoking and head-stretching cinema!

Completed Actions

Have watched lots in fact! And attended the BFI panel as well...

Andrea Gibbons
London
06 July 2010 02:24 PM

Went to see two films at local cinema

Martyn Quinn
Leicester
02 July 2010 01:29 PM

We showed videos about refugees and asylum seekers to lots of people at our Refugee Week conference at Manchester University and our exhbition at the Manchester Museum!

British Red Cross Manchester
Manchester
02 July 2010 09:55 AM

I watched a flim about trafficking - it was very difficult to watch but it had a profound effect on me and widened my understanding of the issues.

Gail Pringle
Leicester
29 June 2010 11:05 AM

Watched a series of clips on movies about refuge and exile at the Refugee Action BFI screening 10 June 2010.

Sally Cole-Hamilton
London
28 June 2010 09:24 AM

I knew I would not have time to watch Grow Your Own on BBC i-player so I bought the film from Amazon to watch this weekend.

Fleur Musonda
Luton
25 June 2010 03:40 PM

On Sunday 20 June at the Tricycle Theatre (Kilburn) I screened the SMILE Project documentary short films, made by refugee children and young people and also took the opportunity to talk to the audience about the client groups and the issues they face on a daily basis. The event was great and we ended up having long discussions. It also enbaled us to see the film on a big screen for the first time and make our young people proud

Arnaud Vervoitte
London
24 June 2010 09:30 AM

The Tricycle screened films by and about refugees throughout Refugee Week and had 224 attendances to these films!

anna
london
22 June 2010 10:35 AM

I watched 'Grow Your Own', a film about refugees in the North of England who get involved in an allotment scheme.

Jo Foster
Norwich
21 June 2010 02:12 PM

Watched Persepolis, and also read the books, both brilliant.

samar
London
20 June 2010 07:18 PM

Welcome

Lucy Mayblin
Birmingham
19 June 2010 05:57 PM

I watched Lilja-4 ever and the Last Resort.

Jade Walters
Leicester
18 June 2010 07:52 PM

I watched a movie about refugees and although it was sad, it's the situation

Raquel
Leicester
18 June 2010 02:56 PM

I have watched The Last Resort & Lilja 4 Ever during Refugee Week

natasha Stevenson
leicester
18 June 2010 02:53 PM

I watched Last Resorce film which very powerful act.

Adil Ahmad
Leicester
18 June 2010 02:52 PM

I have seen 2 films this week about refugees - Last Resort and Moving to Mars, both at Phoenix Cinema in Leicester

Aidan Hallett
Leicester
18 June 2010 01:19 PM

With my year 6 class we watched Teacher TV interviews with refugee children and then had a discussion.

roger hulme
salusbury primary school
18 June 2010 11:52 AM

Showed my reception class the story called 'Carly runs away' on you tube and discussed what it would be like to leave your home behind.

Ruth McGowan
Salusbury Primary school
17 June 2010 08:53 PM

I watch the film 'grow your own' currently available on BBC iplayer. It's about a group of refugees and local people working on allotments side by side.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00m5pp2/Grow_Your_Own/

Anna Musgrave
London
17 June 2010 01:16 PM

i have wich a move about refugees it wasd fun

lubna shirwa 3A
salusbury primary school
16 June 2010 07:02 PM

i watched 'la forteresse' on monday night. thoroughly engaging and pretty balanced. first film to force a tear for a while ..

Lila
Liverpool
16 June 2010 03:51 PM

I watched a movie about refugees and i was a little bit sad because of the story.

Angelina Wilson 3A
Salusbury Primary School London
16 June 2010 03:36 PM

the movie was cool

rennie
stgeorges
16 June 2010 01:55 PM

It was fun

Jafar Alsalemi
Salusbury Primary School
16 June 2010 01:51 PM

i watched a movie telling me about refugees

rennie
st georges school
16 June 2010 01:48 PM

I watched a film on TV a couple of weeks ago. It was about a lecturer who comes to New York to his flat to attend a seminar. He finds a couple living in his flat, they are refugees and have rented the flat in good faith. He takes pity on them and allows them to stay till they can find somewhere else to live. Gradually they become friends and the man teaches the lecturer to play the drum.

Kay Briggs
Sheffield
16 June 2010 01:14 PM

With my form (a 6th form) today we discussed the plight of refugees, I told them about my god-daughter who married a Somali refugee whose parents plane was bombed and thy were killed and who didn't know where the rest of his family had ended up. We shared the song on your web-site and attempted your quiz together. With my 6th form French group I have watched Persepolis.

Anne McCulloch
Audenshaw Tameside
16 June 2010 09:41 AM

We watched Carly's Story in class

Mrs Dykes
London
16 June 2010 09:16 AM

Watched Last Resort - twice!

amanda
leicester
16 June 2010 08:14 AM

it it was good because it wasintresting.

ibrahim 3a salbury school
london brent
15 June 2010 05:59 PM

I wached a movie about refugees

eliot latham 3a salusbury school
london
15 June 2010 04:19 PM

I watched Dirty Pretty Things

Sam Bytheway
Liverpool
15 June 2010 11:35 AM

Our class watched a short animation about a young refugee girl. It was very Interesting

Amra Smiley 3A class teacher
Salusbury Primary School, London
15 June 2010 10:31 AM

34 of us shared the video and then created our own stories about how we can be more accepting of other people, especially refugees.

Year 6
Nuneaton
15 June 2010 10:23 AM

Watched the movie The Kite Runner and God Grew Tired of Us

Karen
Chicago, US - Freetown, Sierra Leone
14 June 2010 09:07 PM

Watched a documentary and had a discusiion about refugees

Linda Adhana
Wigan
14 June 2010 04:15 PM

At the recommendation of the 20 things to do i went out and bought Waltz with Bashir, it was a really stunning piece of cinema that at times depressed and disturbed, but was very truthful and intriguing.

oliver sliney
london, england
14 June 2010 01:45 PM

Saw 'Moving to Mars' documentary.

James Fisher
London
14 June 2010 12:09 PM

We liked it when Carly got a new place to live with Mr Friendly who was very kind. The film made us feel sad for Carly. We would let Carly stay with us and give her her own bed and some food.

Class RB
Liverpool
14 June 2010 11:59 AM

We watched a video clip from Espresso and defined a Refugee as a class

5HW
Year 5
14 June 2010 11:59 AM

I watched the documentary film 'Moving to Mars' on More4 about 2 refugee families going through the resettlement programme to Sheffield.

Joanne
London
14 June 2010 10:05 AM

Community Channel is supporting Refugee Week from June 14th to 20th with films and documentaries that bring you the human stories behind the headlines on refugees and asylum seekers.

See some of the highlights
http://www.communitychannel.org/content/view/3642/75/

Community Channel
UK
14 June 2010 09:35 AM

I've watched a film about refugees and i found it intresting and how hard life cane be.

Jonathan
St Helens
14 June 2010 09:25 AM

I watched the Visitor which was a film about immigration and detention very good

Isha
London
12 June 2010 02:20 AM

I watched the film "The Visitor"

Sarah Ashley
Leeds
09 June 2010 03:53 PM

Watched Channel 4's 'Moving to Mars' - excellent!

Rasha Abdul-Rahim
London - UK
06 June 2010 12:12 PM

i watched "The Visitor". it was an inspirational movie about a man who works in a university, and moves to new york city. he has had an appartment there for a while, but has never visited since his five died many years ago. when i comes in he finds that a man has been illegally renting out the professor's apartment to a couple, who are illegal immigrants. he decides to let them stay as they have no where else to go. both groups of people learn about each other's culture and all benefit from it.

matthew williams
england
02 June 2010 09:00 PM

I saw the movie The Visitor, and i found it very interesting and made me think about immigrants and being deported.

Alex Merrett
Virginia Water, England
01 June 2010 02:29 PM

I'm volunteering for Refugee Week, and have put together my top 5 refugee films of all time as my simple act. Take a look at them on the Simple Acts Blog! http://tiny.cc/SimpleBlog

Keri Hudson
London
24 May 2010 10:02 AM

I was lucky enough to be invited to a preview screening of a film called Burma VJ, about a group of reporters in Rangoon, Burma who secretly documented the monks' protests in September 2007, and who are now either in exile or in hiding. Some of the footage is very harrowing, but it is an incredible film, it's out on general release in July I think - worth going to see for sure. It reminds you just why we provide sanctuary to people, and how vital it is that we protect and uphold human rights (including the right to asylum) in this country, so we are able to help people who are fighting for the most basic of rights in their own nations.

Hannah
London
19 May 2010 05:12 PM

Years 1 to 5 at Summerside School watched a UNHCR clip about refugees in assembly.

Rachel Silver
Barnet
19 May 2010 04:35 PM

I did my small act for refugee week - a mention in the Sunday sermon + also watched a Pakistani movie 'Khuda ke lie' 'in the name of God'

Phil
Leeds
19 May 2010 04:33 PM

This was great! We watched 'The Kite Runner' as part of the Twitter GoodFilmClub suggested by Amnesty, so we Tweeted along and shared ideas about the film with other people. Lots to think about: refugees of course, and language and isolation... Really interesting to share an experience that is usually so private.

Sonya
London
19 May 2010 04:32 PM

Very good film 'In this World'. Helped me understand what the young people I meet at the Social Eve have gone through.

Cath Bruzzone
London
19 May 2010 04:24 PM