Latest news with #refugee
Yahoo
21 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Review: ‘To a Land Unknown' an absorbing refugee crisis drama
Review: 'To a Land Unknown' an absorbing refugee crisis drama Sitting on an Athens park bench with their skateboards, with pigeons scouring the ground for food at their feet, the cousins at the heart of 'To a Land Unknown' scan their surroundings for their next target. They need money, badly. They need a purse to steal. Palestinian refugees, Chatila and his younger cousin Reda have been stranded here a while. Chatila's wife and 2-year-old son, stuck in their own limbo in a Lebanese refugee camp, live with uncertain hopes of meeting up with the cousins in Germany. This is the universal lament and staggering human cost of refugee displacement, dramatized in Danish-Palestinian filmmaker Mahdi Fleifel's tense, coolly heartbreaking debut narrative feature. 'To a Land Unknown' focuses on these loving, sometimes hating cousins, who dream of opening a cafe in their chosen land unknown. Realizing this dream will require a series of anxious gambles and bargains with their lives, and the lives of others. It's an existence balanced between 'what is and what must be,' as another refugee says, quoting 'Praise for the High Shadow' by Mahmoud Darwish. That's the poetry; Fleifel's film favors well-paced if slightly schematic prose, though the actors are more than good enough to keep you with these people every fraught minute. It's a movie of many deadlines. The first is the two weeks that the cagey, quietly ruthless Chatila has to secure fake passports for himself and the softer-hearted addict Reda. Early in the story, the cousins encounter 13-year-old Malik (Mohammad Alsurafa), a Gazan refugee whose human trafficker, he tells the men, dumped him in Greece instead of reuniting him with his mother, now living in Italy. Everyone in 'To a Land Unknown' seeks some distant shore they can call home, with the promise of reminding them, in some way, of three simple words heard at the very end of the story: 'the old neighborhood.' Chatila's the emergent protagonist in the script by Fyzal Boulifa, Jason McColgan and director Fleifel, and in the compelling, un-showy performance by Mahmoud Bakri, the story's escalating tensions never feel actor-engineered. Cousin Reda, whom Chatila patronizes one minute and loves like a brother the next, may well be the biggest obstacle to a further shore. Aram Sabbah makes this sweet, lost soul a dimensional presence. Much of 'To a Land Unknown' deals with the cousins' entry into human trafficking, by way of the hard-drinking Greek national Tatiana (Angeliki Papoulia, 'Dogtooth') who becomes Chatila's lover. She's lured, with a promise of pay, into posing as the orphan's mother, accompanying him to Italy. It's a long shot. But it might get the cousins where they're headed, in Germany (a proper European nation, argues Chatila). There are only so many ways 'To a Land Unknown' can conclude its storytelling business and not sell itself short, along with the omnipresent refugee crisis stories we live every minute on this planet. Yet the co-writer and director, who earliest years in a Lebanese refugee camp are the subject of his 2012 documentary 'A World Not Ours,' knows where he's going. The focus tightens ever more effectively on two ordinary men, searching, yearning, stealing, surviving however — and if — they can. ——— 'TO A LAND UNKNOWN' (In Arabic, Greek and English with English subtitles) 3 stars (out of 4) No MPA rating (language, sexuality, some violence) Running time: 1:45 How to watch: Now in theaters ——— Solve the daily Crossword
The Guardian
a day ago
- General
- The Guardian
The kindness of strangers: I was five years old when a woman I'll never know gave me an extravagant doll
When I was very young, my family and I emigrated from Albania to Melbourne. As a child of refugees settling in Australia after the second world war, I experienced the searing poverty that myriads of displaced people dealt with as they tried to rebuild lives in far away, unfamiliar places. As a result, my brothers and sisters and I very rarely enjoyed the magic and thrill that come when a child gets a new toy. One day – I must have been no more than five – I was wandering through the local town hall with my mother. Some sort of fair was in full swing and I happened upon a table where, for a mere penny, I could try my luck to win a doll. I didn't have a penny, but I did have a fervent wish to have a doll – particularly the beautiful one with the gloriously extravagant light blue dress! I lingered at the table watching people try their luck and hoping no one would win the doll I felt was mine. At some point, a woman – I'll never know who she was – decided to play and won the chance to choose a doll from the dozen or so settled along the wall. As she prepared to claim her prize, she turned to me and, with a smile that I can still remember today, asked me to choose. I hesitated until she said: 'Which one would you like to take home with you?' Feeling emboldened, I pointed tentatively to the doll with the magnificent pale blue dress. A moment later, the doll floated down from the wall and into my waiting hands. It was mine. I was overwhelmed with wonder. This incredibly kind woman had noticed the longing in the eyes of a little girl and made her dream come true. Her act of kindness was a moment of pure magic. I cherished that beloved doll until I was 17, when we left Australia to move to Canada and luggage restrictions forced me to bequeath her to another. That woman sowed the seeds of my own belief that small acts of kindness can change lives. We are regularly confronted with choices about how to treat other people and how to interpret their words and actions. I try to be forgiving and empathetic because I believe very sincerely in the goodness of people, in large part because of that day at the fair. Sixty-five years later, I can say I am a better person because of that woman. From making your day to changing your life, we want to hear about chance encounters that have stuck with you. Your contact details are helpful so we can contact you for more information. They will only be seen by the Guardian. Your contact details are helpful so we can contact you for more information. They will only be seen by the Guardian. If you're having trouble using the form click here. Read terms of service here and privacy policy here
The Guardian
2 days ago
- General
- The Guardian
The kindness of strangers: I was five years old when a woman I'll never know gave me an extravagant doll
When I was very young, my family and I emigrated from Albania to Melbourne. As a child of refugees settling in Australia after the second world war, I experienced the searing poverty that myriads of displaced people dealt with as they tried to rebuild lives in far away, unfamiliar places. As a result, my brothers and sisters and I very rarely enjoyed the magic and thrill that come when a child gets a new toy. One day – I must have been no more than five – I was wandering through the local town hall with my mother. Some sort of fair was in full swing and I happened upon a table where, for a mere penny, I could try my luck to win a doll. I didn't have a penny, but I did have a fervent wish to have a doll – particularly the beautiful one with the gloriously extravagant light blue dress! I lingered at the table watching people try their luck and hoping no one would win the doll I felt was mine. At some point, a woman – I'll never know who she was – decided to play and won the chance to choose a doll from the dozen or so settled along the wall. As she prepared to claim her prize, she turned to me and, with a smile that I can still remember today, asked me to choose. I hesitated until she said: 'Which one would you like to take home with you?' Feeling emboldened, I pointed tentatively to the doll with the magnificent pale blue dress. A moment later, the doll floated down from the wall and into my waiting hands. It was mine. I was overwhelmed with wonder. This incredibly kind woman had noticed the longing in the eyes of a little girl and made her dream come true. Her act of kindness was a moment of pure magic. I cherished that beloved doll until I was 17, when we left Australia to move to Canada and luggage restrictions forced me to bequeath her to another. That woman sowed the seeds of my own belief that small acts of kindness can change lives. We are regularly confronted with choices about how to treat other people and how to interpret their words and actions. I try to be forgiving and empathetic because I believe very sincerely in the goodness of people, in large part because of that day at the fair. Sixty five years later, I can say that I am a better person because of that woman. From making your day to changing your life, we want to hear about chance encounters that have stuck with you. Your contact details are helpful so we can contact you for more information. They will only be seen by the Guardian. Your contact details are helpful so we can contact you for more information. They will only be seen by the Guardian. If you're having trouble using the form click here. Read terms of service here and privacy policy here
Reuters
2 days ago
- Politics
- Reuters
Trump says he will help Afghans stuck in the UAE
WASHINGTON, July 20 (Reuters) - President Donald Trump said on Sunday he would help Afghans detained in the United Arab Emirates for years after fleeing their country when its Taliban leaders extended control over it. Trump, a Republican who has criticized high levels of immigration, suspended refugee resettlement after he took office in January. In April, the Trump administration terminated temporary deportation protections for thousands of Afghans in the U.S. "I will try to save them, starting right now," Trump said in a post on Truth Social that linked to an article on the Afghans held in limbo there. The UAE, a close security partner of the United States, agreed in 2021 to temporarily house several thousand Afghans evacuated from Kabul as the Taliban ousted the U.S.-backed government during the final stages of the U.S.-led withdrawal. Canada agreed in 2022 to resettle about 1,000 of the Afghans still held in the UAE after a U.S. request. It is unclear how many remain in the Gulf country. Nearly 200,000 Afghans have been brought to the U.S. by former President Joe Biden's administration since the chaotic U.S. troop withdrawal from Kabul. Refugees include family members of Afghan-American U.S. military personnel, children cleared to reunite with their parents, relatives of Afghans already admitted and tens of thousands of Afghans who worked for the U.S. government during the 20-year war.
CBC
3 days ago
- Politics
- CBC
Former Hamilton lawyer barred from practising after law society says she failed 'extremely vulnerable' clients
A Hamilton woman who for years has faced accusations of incompetence, abandoning vulnerable clients and misappropriating their money while she was practising law has had her licence suspended. The Law Society Tribunal made the decision Thursday in the case involving Victoria Bruyn, at the request of the Law Society of Ontario (LSO), which regulates lawyers and paralegals in the province. As first reported by CBC Hamilton in 2023, and according to subsequent LSO investigations, Bruyn has a pattern of promising to help clients successfully navigate Canada's complicated refugee process, but then failed to complete their applications, show up for hearings or submit evidence, and in some cases lied about it. The LSO has received nine complaints against Bruyn since March 2024, said Gloria Ushirode, who's conducting the investigations. Bruyn has not co-operated with the LSO, including providing any materials, and the investigation is ongoing, Ushirode said. "The complaints allege, among other things, a failure to serve extremely vulnerable refugee claimants and serious integrity breaches that seem to demonstrate a pattern of dishonest conduct in an attempt to cover up ineffective service," Ushirode wrote in an affidavit filed with the Law Society Tribunal. On Thursday morning, Bruyn attended the tribunal's virtual hearing. She told the panel she isn't opposing her licence being suspended. She's no longer practising law and was appointed as an adjudicator to Ontario's Landlord and Tenant Board last year, but is on a leave of absence. "I just want to put it on the record that I do have a response to these allegations ... I do intend to challenge these allegations." Clients seeking refugee status In some of the cases, Bruyn accepted payments through Legal Aid Ontario, a provincial agency that helps people who need but can't afford legal assistance. She was suspended from the roster last year, said Ushirode in the affidavit. In two other cases, clients paid her a total of $10,500 in fees without completing any work and Bruyn never provided refunds, LSO lawyer Kristin Bailey said at the hearing. "All the clients involved in this are extremely vulnerable and face potentially dire consequences," Bailey said. They include people fleeing Lebanon, Angola, Colombia, Ukraine, Saudi Arabia and Mexico, according to case documents the LSO provided to the tribunal. Once they switched from Bruyn to different lawyers, they were granted permission to stay in Canada. One of the clients, whose name has not been released, was connected to Bruyn through legal aid, to assist her with her refugee application in 2021, said the documents. She'd fled Mexico after witnessing a neighbour's murder, and almost being kidnapped twice. She'd also experienced domestic violence in Canada and mental health issues connected to trauma and abuse. Bruyn never met the client before the hearing for her refugee claim and never advised her to gather evidence such as a report from a mental health professional about what she's experiencing — a service that legal aid would have pay for, the LSO said. Bruyn didn't submit any evidence on behalf of her client, even after the Refugee Protection Division gave her an extension, said the LSO. As a result, the woman's refugee claim was denied. Bruyn told her she'd file an appeal, but never did. The woman was almost deported back to Mexico, but a new lawyer, retained through a local refugee organization, intervened and helped her get a temporary resident permit, said Ushirode's affidavit. She's currently applying for more permanent status. Number impacted remains unknown Because Bruyn hasn't co-operated with the LSO's investigations, it doesn't know the true number of clients who've been impacted or the extent of misconduct, said Bailey. The complaints filed to the LSO concerned Bruyn's conduct between 2021 and 2025, and included CBC Hamilton stories about Bruyn, including one on client Sarah Arvanitis. Arvanitis's experience with Bruyn in 2023 almost left her stranded in the U.S., separated from her daughter and husband in Hamilton for months, she said. She filed a complaint shortly after, but LSO closed that file later that year, stating in its decision there was "insufficient evidence of professional misconduct to support further action." Arvanitis's complaint is not included in the nine the LSO presented to the tribunal this week.
