A modern hero’s journey; a child of war runs the race of his life, for days cross-country, and knocks on the door of refuge. Supplicating for entrance, and turned-away twice in Turkey, finally, Hameed is granted United Nations-guaranteed safe passage, to the USA—a solo journey, leaving his home for refuge, hope and dreams. He lands in Seattle where, after eight years of no education in Iraq, he gains speed with access to resources and the classroom. It seems insurmountable, he’s dedicated and learns a third language, he encounters adversity and challenge, a foster family steps forward, and he accelerates towards higher education and loftier altruistic dreams.
Biography:
Aimie Vallat has been working for the past twenty years as a social change agent in the non-profit and documentary film sectors. Her interests in storytelling took her around the world; from the townships in South Africa, to a youth theater troupe in Serbia and interviewing Holocaust survivors. Aimie created REEL WITNESS with Noah Dassel. Together they developed stories about sustainability, food security and our refugee community.
Guido Ronge began his career as a filmmaker starting as a camera technician, camera assistant and then transitioned to working as a director of photography. Expanding on his desire to travel the world, he began focusing on cross-cultural work opportunities, like the collaboration with Soulcraft Allstars and EPIC. Seven years ago he started working on a documentary exploring the intersection of the local communities in southern Haiti and an endangered bird population, the Black Capped Petrel, in a film called Save the Devil. Also, he teamed up with REEL WITNESS to shoot and co-direct a series of films on the refugee / asylum experience.
