Windsor Women Working With Immigrant Women (W5) and The Arts Collective Theatre (ACT) in conjunction with OMS Entertainment and Stagehouse Multimedia is scheduled to premiere the Windsor documentary film Through Their Eyes depicting the lives of refugee youth that migrated to Windsor.
The film was inspired after the acclaimed performance, “Inside the Burden,” that was put on by 11 local Windsor youth with the help of W5’s NAP program and Social Justice Dramatic Artist and Director, Christopher Rabideau, of ACT.
The film crew, led by JD and Svjetlana Oppen of OMS Entertainment and Stagehouse Multimedia, respectively, for three years documented the very intimately engaged process of this social justice performance. Eleven teenagers along with Windsor community members such as educators, lawyers, school board heads, social scientists, settlement workers, and others were interviewed sharing their attitudes and feelings concerning the treatment of refugees in the Windsor community and internationally.
Timely and important issues addressing discrimination, acceptance, immigration processes and procedures, and the joys and aches of resettling in a new country are at the forefront in this documentary.
Cassandra Richardson, Youth Programs and Service Manager at W5, is very excited to finally bring the documentary to Windsor’s Public. She states, “What is most poignant about the film is that although the project was initiated by W5, the film features important dialogue by Windsor community members showing that it was a true community effort in support of bringing about awareness of refugee issues.” Film Director, JD Oppen, comments, “I was humbled at the lives these young people have lived in so few years, what they have learned, what they have seen, and now what they have been brave enough to share with us as filmmakers, share with the local community, and share with the rest of the world.
The world as we know it is changing. Some of that change is good, some not good, but it’s up to all of us to put the care, effort and support into making the world a better place. I think it always starts with the youth… no matter where they are from.”
A soft premiere of Through Their Eyes will be held Friday, February 4th, 2016 for the University of Windsor’s Faculty of Education during the Social Justice Forum where Cassandra Richardson and Chris Rabideau will be the key note speakers. A larger film premiere inviting all Windsor community members and media will be held at a later time next month and venue with corresponding time and date to be announced.
Please contact Cassandra Richardson at 519.991.7862 or 519.973.5588 ext. 601 for any information concerning the film or more information.
