One World Refugee Film Festival

UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is excited to be partnering with One World Arts along with Amnesty International Canada, CARE Canada, and Oxfam Canada to host this year’s virtual edition of the One World Refugee Film Festival.

From December 1–14, join us for six different programs that include thought-provoking documentaries and discussions about issues relating to refugees and forced displacement – from the Syrian conflict and Rohingya crisis, to the impacts of climate change and the unique realities of LGBTI+ refugees.

UNHCR Canada will be presenting two of these programs:

“Voices from Syria,” which premieres December 1, 2020, is a curated selection of four documentaries, including Harmony for After War (Pablo Tosco and Migue Roth), Wajd: Songs of Separation (Amar Chebib), A House for the Syrians (Nadine Beaudet and Christian Mathieu Fournier) and The Rest (Ai Weiwei). And to kick off the festival on December 1, 2020, at 20:00 EST, join us for a livestreamed conversation with Syrian-Canadian filmmaker Amar Chebib, hosted by Maryam Shah from the Toronto Star.

“Memory and the refugee experience,” which premieres December 14, 2020, coincides with UNHCR’s 70^thanniversary. We will showcase three exciting films featuring past and ongoing refugee crises – from the aftermath of World War II in Europe with Memory Is Our Homeland (Jonathan Durand), to the experiences of Somali refugees in Memories of Mogadishu (Asha Siad) and the situation of refugees from Yemen in Yemen: The Silent War (Sufian Abulohom).

Refugees had to flee war, violence and persecution. They travelled treacherous routes to find safety. And as they start their lives over again, they carry with them memories of home in exile. This theme will feature prominently in a livestreamed conversation to celebrate UNHCR’s 70^th anniversary on December 14, 2020, at 20:00 EST, with Polish-Canadian filmmaker Jonathan Durand and UNHCR Canada’s Representative, Rema Jamous Imseis, hosted by Jim Creskey, founder and publisher of the Hill Times.

And we have a few more surprises in store!

Film and program descriptions, as well as additional information on programming presented by our partners during this year’s One World Refugee Film Festival can be found at owrff2020.eventive.org.

Festival passes cost $30 and give you access to all programs + a one-year membership to One World Arts. Single tickets for individual programs are also available for $10 each.

The proceeds from this event will be donated to grass-roots non-profit organizations, including Matthew House Ottawa, a shelter offering essential support to refugee claimants, and the Titi Foundation, a local non-government organization based in Juba, South Sudan, committed to protecting the rights of women and children.