Reel Time Film Series: This is Home

86 East 8th Street,Holland MI 49423

22 November, 2021

Description

Award-winning film of four Syrian refugee families struggling to rebuild their lives in the US. The International Relations Commission’s (IRC) 2021-22 Reel Time Film Series begins with the award-winning documentary, THIS IS HOME: A Refugee Story, showing at Hope College's Knickerbocker Theatre on Monday, Nov 22nd at 7pm. Admission is free. THIS IS HOME offers an intimate portrait of four Syrian refugee families arriving in America and struggling to rebuild their lives in a new home: Baltimore, Maryland. They attend cultural orientation classes and job training sessions where they must "learn America" — everything from how to take public transportation to negotiating new gender roles. Peabody award-winning filmmaker Alexandra Shiva’s cinema vérité film takes a fresh look at the classic American immigration story and challenges us to see past differences to find common ground. THIS IS HOME goes beyond the statistics, headlines, and political rhetoric to tell deeply personal stories, putting a human face on the global refugee crisis. THIS IS HOME premiered at The Sundance Film Festival in 2018, where it won the Audience Award: World Cinema Documentary. The documentary has been shown in dozens of film festivals across the world and has received multiple awards. After the film, Kristine Van Noord, Director of Refugee Adult and Family Programs for Bethany Christian Services will discuss local resettlement efforts. The City of Holland's Human Relations Department oversees the Human Relations and International Relations Commissions, and City Youth Services.  The Holland Human Relations Commission exists to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion in housing, education, employment and public service.  HRC advocates for all citizens, with special care to under-served communities.  We do this through research, advocacy, education, mediation, and empowerment. We envision a place where all residents are honored and empowered to become productive members of the community, unhindered by bias, misunderstanding, and conflict. Learn more at humanrelations.cityofholland.com. The International Relations Commission builds and maintains meaningful relationships between the people of Holland and the wider world through cultural, educational and professional contact. Learn more at internationalrelations.cityofholland.com.