By Kath Gannaway
When Healesville resident Helen Collier saw ‘Human Flow’ in Melbourne, she says the immensity of the global refugee crisis hit home.
The film by Chinese director and activist Ai Weiwei captures a global crisis which Helen says has become the new normal.
Over 65 million people, the greatest human displacement since World War II, are at the heart of the crisis, and of the film which is captured in a cinematic journey that is breathtaking in both its epic status and its storytelling.
Although Helen has been a supporter of UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees) for some time, she says the film was a revelation.
“I was incredibly moved by it; the fact that this crisis is not going away; that the new normal is that there are these many millions of people who have nowhere to live.
“People don’t understand, especially in places like the Yarra Valley where we’re cut off from the rest of the world … we don’t have refugees here who are desperate.
“I thought it was not only a very moving film, but a very important film, and an important film for people to see,” she said.
It moved her to investigate whether the film could be shown in Healesville and she was steered in the direction of Demand Cinema which facilitates individuals or communities to show a film based on a pre-sale of tickets.
Helen got enough people to commit to attending to bring the film to Healesville, but is hoping to fill the theatre as a way of informing people of the reality of the plight of refugees, and the enormity of the crisis.
Working with Jeanette McRae from Healesville Rural Action for Refugees, local artist Ali Griffin and Yarra Ranges Council’s Regional Arts Co-ordinator Jenny Davies, the film will screen at The Memo in Healesville on Thursday, 7 June at 7.30pm.
Purchase tickets online using this link – https://tickets.demand.film/event/4379 #demandcinema #aiweiwei #humanflow#refugees #seethisfilm .
Tickets will also be available on the night if not sold out.
