Memory and the refugee experience, which premieres December 14, 2020, coincides with UNHCR’s 70th anniversary. 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 70th 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.
The proceeds from this event will be donated to Matthew House Ottawa, a shelter offering essential support to refugee claimants.
Presented by
“Mogadishu is a place that leaves a mark on anyone who was born or raised there.” How do Somali diaspora remember or reimagine this once cosmopolitan city? By taking place inside of a photo studio, this short documentary film offers an intimate portrait and unprecedented glimpse into the lives of those who have been forcibly displaced by conflict. Ultimately, this film reveals the realities of how post-conflict societies reconstruct and reconcile their memories of Mogadishu. The documentary was directed by Somali-Canadian filmmaker Asha Siad, whose recent credits include the Amnesty International Canada Media Award winner Living at the Border, an interactive documentary that explores the experiences of African asylum-seekers in Italy and the National Film Board of Canada’s award-winning short film 19 Days, a documentary that follows several refugee families during their first 19 days in Canada.
About Memories of Mogadishu
Memories of Mogadishu is a multimedia project that examines the use of memory in the reconstruction of a once cosmopolitan city by the Somali diaspora around the world. Through the use of oral history in combination with archival footage and personal interviews of members of the Somali diaspora around the world, the goal of the project is to document the collective memory of the city prior to the civil war. For more information, please visit Memories of Mogadishu’s official website.
- Year2020
- Runtime16 minutes
- LanguageEnglish, Somali
- CountryCanada
- Notewith English subtitles
- DirectorAsha Siad
Memory and the refugee experience, which premieres December 14, 2020, coincides with UNHCR’s 70th anniversary. 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 70th 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.
The proceeds from this event will be donated to Matthew House Ottawa, a shelter offering essential support to refugee claimants.
Presented by
“Mogadishu is a place that leaves a mark on anyone who was born or raised there.” How do Somali diaspora remember or reimagine this once cosmopolitan city? By taking place inside of a photo studio, this short documentary film offers an intimate portrait and unprecedented glimpse into the lives of those who have been forcibly displaced by conflict. Ultimately, this film reveals the realities of how post-conflict societies reconstruct and reconcile their memories of Mogadishu. The documentary was directed by Somali-Canadian filmmaker Asha Siad, whose recent credits include the Amnesty International Canada Media Award winner Living at the Border, an interactive documentary that explores the experiences of African asylum-seekers in Italy and the National Film Board of Canada’s award-winning short film 19 Days, a documentary that follows several refugee families during their first 19 days in Canada.
About Memories of Mogadishu
Memories of Mogadishu is a multimedia project that examines the use of memory in the reconstruction of a once cosmopolitan city by the Somali diaspora around the world. Through the use of oral history in combination with archival footage and personal interviews of members of the Somali diaspora around the world, the goal of the project is to document the collective memory of the city prior to the civil war. For more information, please visit Memories of Mogadishu’s official website.
- Year2020
- Runtime16 minutes
- LanguageEnglish, Somali
- CountryCanada
- Notewith English subtitles
- DirectorAsha Siad