JOURNEY BEYOND FEAR
****
Director: Robyn Hughan
Screenwriter: Robyn Hughan
Principal cast:
Zahra
Zeinab
Sakina
Fatima
Bismillah
Country: Australia
Classification: PG
Runtime: 99 Mins.
Australian release date: Thursday 21 March 2019 (limited release)
Previewed at: Dendy Newtown, Sydney, on Tuesday 5 March 2019.
Journey Beyond Fear puts the audience inside the heart and mind of an Afghan refugee teenage girl, Zahra, trapped in limbo with her family in Kuala Lumpur as she faces an interminable wait to hear whether their application to migrate to Australia has been accepted. Filmed over seven years by director Robyn Hughan, with additional footage from co-producer Steve Warne and camera operator Faramarz K. Rahber, the documentary gives a rare, unfiltered look at what it’s really like to be trapped in a situation where education, work, accommodation and even food, are hard to come by because of your refugee status. It’s not an easy situation and it shows how people need incredible tenacity and fortitude to survive the wait. It’s almost too much for young Zahra, who reaches breaking point during the process.
For Zahra’s parents, Bismillah and Fatima, the journey began many years ago when they were forced to flee their native Afghanistan because one is Hazara and the other Tajik, so their love for each other was forbidden. Crossing into Iran, they spent the next dozen years in that country, never able to integrate and in constant fear of being deported because of their illegal status. Somehow, though, they survived and raised three daughters, Zahra, Zeinab and Sakina, although these bright, intelligent girls weren’t allowed to attend school. After 12 years, the family managed to travel to Malaysia, where they registered as refugees with the United Nations and began their long wait for relocation to Australia. During the next seven years, they resisted the temptation to join a people-smuggling boat, instead keeping faith in the ‘queue’ they were told would get to them one day. Meanwhile, all their friends seemed to achieve their goal of moving to Australia but, somehow, Zahra and her family were left behind. The wait was incredibly stressful, causing Zahra’s hair to fall out… and worse. It was only the strong bond of love between them all that saved them, and their collective resilience. Each family member had unique characteristics that raised their spirits and enabled them to pick themselves up each time they were knocked down.
Journey Beyond Fear is a remarkable document because the filmmakers had such close access to their subject over such a long period of time; because of that, it is unlike any other film on the subject that has preceded it. Hughan and Warne are to be applauded for following the project through on a shoestring budget over so many years but the film never looks cut-price. Hughan says, “I made many self-funded trips to continue documenting the family in Kuala Lumpur and also continued to film with others who had departed Malaysia by boat and were in Indonesia. At times this was very taxing both financially and emotionally. I was often filming on my own, often staying with the family and sleeping on their floor, which gave me incredible access to their world. Physically it was also demanding having to lug my camera gear between apartment blocks and community schools in what was often dingy and dodgy streets. The family were always afraid for me because they had been robbed and mugged so many times.” The film has real style, however, despite these hardships, and it’s been beautifully put together by editor Patrick McCabe. It also features a number of excellent original songs performed by Melbourne singer/songwriter Alyce Platt. It certainly doesn’t look and sound like a low-budget effort.
Bismillah, Fatima and the girls are truly remarkable human beings and it’s a pleasure to spend 99 minutes in their company. Their strength is astounding and you can’t help but ask yourself how you would behave in the same situation. Take the time to seek out Journey Beyond Fear (its release is limited) - you will be amply rewarded and meet some exemplary, brave people.
Screening details can be found here.
Screenwriter: Robyn Hughan
Principal cast:
Zahra
Zeinab
Sakina
Fatima
Bismillah
Country: Australia
Classification: PG
Runtime: 99 Mins.
Australian release date: Thursday 21 March 2019 (limited release)
Previewed at: Dendy Newtown, Sydney, on Tuesday 5 March 2019.
Journey Beyond Fear puts the audience inside the heart and mind of an Afghan refugee teenage girl, Zahra, trapped in limbo with her family in Kuala Lumpur as she faces an interminable wait to hear whether their application to migrate to Australia has been accepted. Filmed over seven years by director Robyn Hughan, with additional footage from co-producer Steve Warne and camera operator Faramarz K. Rahber, the documentary gives a rare, unfiltered look at what it’s really like to be trapped in a situation where education, work, accommodation and even food, are hard to come by because of your refugee status. It’s not an easy situation and it shows how people need incredible tenacity and fortitude to survive the wait. It’s almost too much for young Zahra, who reaches breaking point during the process.
For Zahra’s parents, Bismillah and Fatima, the journey began many years ago when they were forced to flee their native Afghanistan because one is Hazara and the other Tajik, so their love for each other was forbidden. Crossing into Iran, they spent the next dozen years in that country, never able to integrate and in constant fear of being deported because of their illegal status. Somehow, though, they survived and raised three daughters, Zahra, Zeinab and Sakina, although these bright, intelligent girls weren’t allowed to attend school. After 12 years, the family managed to travel to Malaysia, where they registered as refugees with the United Nations and began their long wait for relocation to Australia. During the next seven years, they resisted the temptation to join a people-smuggling boat, instead keeping faith in the ‘queue’ they were told would get to them one day. Meanwhile, all their friends seemed to achieve their goal of moving to Australia but, somehow, Zahra and her family were left behind. The wait was incredibly stressful, causing Zahra’s hair to fall out… and worse. It was only the strong bond of love between them all that saved them, and their collective resilience. Each family member had unique characteristics that raised their spirits and enabled them to pick themselves up each time they were knocked down.
Journey Beyond Fear is a remarkable document because the filmmakers had such close access to their subject over such a long period of time; because of that, it is unlike any other film on the subject that has preceded it. Hughan and Warne are to be applauded for following the project through on a shoestring budget over so many years but the film never looks cut-price. Hughan says, “I made many self-funded trips to continue documenting the family in Kuala Lumpur and also continued to film with others who had departed Malaysia by boat and were in Indonesia. At times this was very taxing both financially and emotionally. I was often filming on my own, often staying with the family and sleeping on their floor, which gave me incredible access to their world. Physically it was also demanding having to lug my camera gear between apartment blocks and community schools in what was often dingy and dodgy streets. The family were always afraid for me because they had been robbed and mugged so many times.” The film has real style, however, despite these hardships, and it’s been beautifully put together by editor Patrick McCabe. It also features a number of excellent original songs performed by Melbourne singer/songwriter Alyce Platt. It certainly doesn’t look and sound like a low-budget effort.
Bismillah, Fatima and the girls are truly remarkable human beings and it’s a pleasure to spend 99 minutes in their company. Their strength is astounding and you can’t help but ask yourself how you would behave in the same situation. Take the time to seek out Journey Beyond Fear (its release is limited) - you will be amply rewarded and meet some exemplary, brave people.
Screening details can be found here.