WATAN

Seven years. Six million displaced people. The biggest humanitarian emergency of our time. The Syrian refugee crisis remains at the forefront of the global consciousness: as statistics, as photographs, as a bargaining chip in international politics. But inside the camps real people settle in to a life in limbo. WATAN (Homeland) explores two of the biggest refugee camps in Jordan - Zaatari and Azraq - along with neighbouring city Jerash, to paint intimate portraits of the men, women and children who have found themselves there. Through observation of daily life, Watan builds a simple yet powerful series of interwoven stories that go beyond the statistics to find the human heart of the refugee crisis. These are stories of sadness, fear, beauty and surprises: from a young woman raising a family that is not hers, to a seventeen-year-old concreter, an all-women's filmmaking class, a boy who finds meaning through football, and more. WATAN seeks to inspire action through connection, empathy and recognition, in a way that allows these people to speak for themselves. It shines a much-needed light on the human stories at the centre of the global debate of immigration and asylum, giving a voice to the Syrian refugees in Jordan.

Director/Producers: James L. Brown, Bill Irving
Producers: Michael Ciccone, Jim Wright.
Status: Completed.

Awards:
2018 Impact Doc Award - Feature Documentary Merit Award
Featured as part of Refugee Council of Australia's Refugee Week