When the Dust Settles (2023)

A new participatory documentary follows the lives of refugee families from Sudan and Ethiopia after reunion in the UK. Four families share the challenges of navigating everyday life hurdles as refugees, showing how complex memories and fears are mixed with new hopes and future plans for themselves and their children. Participant families chose to share these experiences in juxtaposition with everyday life activities like cooking, eating, or going to the park, revealing the humanity of their lives and raising awareness of the importance of living together in safety. The film offers a counter narrative to the current political focus on reinforcing border control and is a result of a research project conducted by the School of International Development at the University of East Anglia, in partnership with Together Now, and funded by the British Academy and the UEA ADR Impact Fund (Higher Education Research Funding).