The whiteboard in a Baltimore classroom reads “I’m lost,” one of many English-language basics for newly arrived refugees. It’s an example of This Is Home’s visual approach to the myriad details of the refugee experience. Through brilliant observational filmmaking, This Is Home tells the story of four Syrian families on the path to self-sufficiency and eventual success in the United States. Refugee integration assistance, overseen by State Department–contracted resettlement agencies, provides an apartment and other services for only eight months—after that, families are expected to manage independently. Refugee breadwinners must accept the first job they are offered, learn English, and figure out transportation, the supermarket, school, and cultural norms. The inherent optimism and capability of the refugees undergird the film’s revelatory narrative, with an ensemble cast highlighting the drama and humor of the newcomers’ interactions at home and with helpers, teachers, and friends.
This Is Home – Full Frame Road Show Fall Series
