Refugee stories explored on film

Jun 17 2008 by Vicky Anderson, Liverpool Daily Post

The FACT Centre in Wood Street, Liverpool _240

FILMS telling powerful stories of those who have fled across continents and made new lives for themselves will be shown at the Exodus Shorts Refugee Film Festival at Fact this week.

All the short films shown over the week-long festival have been made by refugee and asylum-seeker filmmakers or give a fresh and diverse perspective on the lives of migrant communities.

Amy Cham, organiser and digital arts manager at Community Arts Northwest, which runs the festival, said: “We have an amazing standard of films this year and are gaining a good reputation.

“The festival is important because it counteracts the negative press and stigma that often surrounds refugees and asylum seekers.”

Two different film screenings will take place at Fact, on Wood Street, on Thursday, June 19, from 6.30pm to 8.30pm, and Saturday, June 21, from 2pm to 4pm.

Among the film- makers being show- cased are Chiman Rahimi, a Kurdish Iranian refugee, whose film Pain is about the honour killing of a Muslim girl in Sza, and Fatima Helow, a Palest- inian asylum seeker, who explores her connection with early 20th-century politician Arthur Balfour in her film, Arthur Balfour and Me.

For more information on Exodus Shorts, see www.can.uk.com/exodus