When The Dust Settles

There are currently 8,000 refugees in the UK waiting for decisions on their family reunion applications. Forced migration and the traumatic consequences of separation, as well as of the obstacles to the reunification process, are well documented, as are the most immediate needs of families, once reunited. The longer-term lived experience of reunited refugee families, in contrast, is poorly understood, despite recognition that family reunion is not the end of a journey, but the beginning of another long road for families to be able to settle and build their lives in the UK, free from persecution. “When the Dust Settles” is a participatory documentary that addresses this research gap by sharing the post-reunion life of four families in Manchester and Glasgow.
The film is part of a wider research project that involved working closely with the participant families over one year. Its participatory approach means that the stories shared were co-written by the research team and the families involved, who made decisions about what they wanted to see represented and how. Much of what was shared indicates people’s resilience and strategies to make sense of the changes and opportunities that occur in everyday life, but also many of the obstacles they still face, and the new challenges encountered after reunion, which include, for example, added responsibilities, concerns with children’s adaptation, or the need to reestablish relationships after years of separation. Hopes and concerns are shown here in juxtaposition with everyday life activities like cooking, eating, or going to the park. Participants’ decision to share these juxtapositions are meant to also reveal the humanity of their lives and contribute to raise awareness of the importance of living together in safety for all families, as well as to offer a counternarrative to the current political focus on reinforcing border control. The documentary was possible thanks to funding from the British Academy and the University of East Anglia ADR (Associate Deans for Research) Impact Fund, which originates from the University's Higher Education Research Funding (HEIF) and aims to increase the impact of UEA research beyond academia. The project results from a partnership between the School of International Development at the University of East Anglia and Together Now.
More information about the project can be found here: www.ueasanctua...
Directed by: Ayoola "Kormbat" Jolayemi
Produced by: Maria Abranches
Edited by: Ayoola "Kormbat" Jolayemi
Translated by: Nihaya Jaber
Script:
Eiman Abdalrahim
Ahmed Abdelhalim
Awab Ahmed
Diana Ahmed
Moyassar Fedil
Alem Gebre
Selam Gebre
Maria Abranches
Ayoola "Kormbat" Jolayemi
Music licensed from: Envato
Special Thanks:
Together Now
School of International Development, University of East Anglia
The British Academy
Higher Education Innovation Funding (HEIF)
Associate Dean For Research (ADR) Impact funding, University of East Anglia