The inspiring story of a refugee family's journey from Afghanistan to Australia is set to grace the Griffith big screen, thanks to a compassionate local group.
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On Friday, Rural Australians for Refugees (RAR) Griffith will be hosting a screening of the film Journey Beyond Fear at the Griffith Regional Theatre.
The documentary follows a teenage girl and her refugee family's chaotic and emotional pursuit of safety over the course of seven years.
RAR Griffith president Will Mead hopes that the screening will provide MIA residents with insight into the turmoil faced by asylum seekers each and every day.
Showing people these refugees have fears, dreams and families just like the rest of us is really important.
- Will Mead, Rural Australians for Refugees Griffith
"It is very easy, especially after all the news coverage, to say 'oh this has been going on forever' and to not really think about refugees as people," Mrs Mead said.
"But nobody is going to risk the lives of their family and themselves to get to a safe place unless it is really imperative.
"Showing people these refugees have fears, dreams and families just like the rest of us is really important."
The film has received rave reviews since its release and Mrs Mead admitted part of her was simply excited to be getting the chance to see it.
"We've seen the shorts and we've seen all the great reviews but it hasn't been open for distribution so I'm really looking forward to finally seeing it," she said.
Tickets to see the film cost $6.50 and can be purchased online through the Griffith Regional Theatre website, at the theatre box office any time before the screening or at the door on the night.
All the money raised from the event will go towards the local refugee assistance work conducted by RAR Griffith and to Operation Not Forgotten, an initiative headed by the Refugee Council of Australia.
Since launching in 2019, Operation Not Forgotten has worked to provide refugees stuck in detention centres in Nauru and Papua New Guinea with resettlement in Canada.
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Mrs Mead said forms to get involved with RAR Griffith will also be available at the screening and she encouraged any compassionate local residents to get involved.
"There are many refugee organisations that people can sign up with but if they'd like to get involved at a local level than they are more than welcome to join RAR Griffith," Mrs Mead said.
"It's completely free and I'm sure they will find the work we do really rewarding."
The Griffith branch of the group has been running since late 2018 and has previously hosted a screening of The Staging Post.
Refugee Week 2021
The RAR Griffith event will be taking place during national Refugee Week, which runs from June 20 up until June 26 every year.
The week is organised to inform Australians on the plight of refugees and to celebrate the positive contributions refugees have made to Australian society.
The theme for this year's Refugee Week is "Unity" - a reminder of how important collaboration between cultures is for a society to survive.
In the past, Griffith has celebrated Refugee Week with a dinner event involving more than 80 local residents and with a Q&A from the director and stars of The Staging Post.
This year's week falls as thousands of Australians rally in support of the Murugappans - a refugee family from Biloela, Queensland.
Griffith's screening of Journey Beyond Fear will begin at 6:30pm on Friday June 25.
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