Dir. Alexandra Shiva - 2018 - USA / Jordan - Language: Arabic - Subtitles: English
After fleeing the horrors of war in Syria, a small number of refugees find themselves in a resettlement programme in Baltimore, USA. They have eight months to find jobs, learn English, and become self sufficient, all while they are still processing the upheaval of adjusting to a new country. With great empathy, 'This Is Home' follows four families through the process of adapting to a new world, going beyond the statistics, headlines, and political rhetoric to tell deeply personal stories.
"What does is feel like to be uprooted from everything they know and start over, after intense trauma? How does it feel to come from a rich culture and adult life and in some ways, feel like a powerless child, having to learn the details of basic living all over again? What is it like to be a child, trying to develop a sense of rootedness and sense of self, while watching your parents – your role models – struggle with their own sense of identity and belonging? By bypassing the highly charged political aspects of this enormous crisis (while still allowing for the context) and landing the viewer in the intimate worlds and the drama of everyday life, struggles and triumphs, I hope to pierce the veil of indifference." Alexandra Shiva