About this event
REFUGE
Can native-born Southerners and refugees from foreign countries live together in peace?
This documentary sets out to find an answer
Center for Spiritual Wisdom and St. Philip's Social Concerns Committee are presenting a live screening of Refuge, a documentary about a poignant journey in the direction of hope and reconciliation.
Refuge is described by its creators as "a story about fear and love in the American south." Director Erin Bernhardt says, "Growing up in Atlanta, I had been taught that white supremacy and racism were part of our past. But being Jewish in the county that hosted the headquarters of the KKK, I knew otherwise."
Joining Berhardt as co-director is Din Blankenship. They write, "Like the refugee characters in this film, we feel caught in the crossfire of a deeply polarized society, but unlike our characters, neither of us have been the target of actual gunfire. We have never had to run for our lives, to watch our loved ones killed, or to rebuild a new life as strangers in a strange land. This is where our personal stories diverge from a refugee’s. We don’t know what it is to experience such trauma, and this is why we built a team of people who do" to create the documentary.
CSW Associate and event coordinator Terry Decker says, "The Center's Reel Spirit Movie Project aims to engage the community with film screenings and discussions. This will be the Project's fifth live screening and first at St. Philip's. Refuge is a compelling film, produced right in our back yard in northern Georgia, and its themes are timeless."
The film runs one hour eighteen minutes, leaving ample time for shared reflection and discussion after the screening. Terry Decker will facilitate the discussion.
You can watch the trailer for the documentary and learn more here.
There is no admission fee for the event, but donations will be gratefully accepted to support this and similar events for the community. For those who are able, the suggested donation is $8 or more per person.
