On Wednesday 18 December 2019, International Migrants Day will be recognized around the world (more). Here in Dominica, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) will join over 100 countries around the world to participate in the Global Migration Film Festival (GMFF), hosting a free screening of the film “One Way Ticket” at Emerald Movies in Roseau in recognition of International Migrants Day 2019.
Why Migration?
Today, more people than ever live in a country other than the one in which they were born. While many individuals migrate out of choice, many others migrate out of necessity. In 2019, the number of migrants globally reached an estimated 272 million, 51 million more than in 2010 (https://www.un.org/en/observances/migrants-day)
Communications & Community Engagement Officer for IOM in Dominica, Maxine Alleyne-Esprit, explains “The Caribbean, including Dominica, was built on migration. Even the original inhabitants came here from South America. However, we often do not see ourselves in the stories of people who come after us. We have a tendency to become insular and protective of our space, as opposed to embracing the benefits of migration. Studies however show that immigrants bring growth and innovation in both the countries they come from, and in those they move to. Most Western nations are said to be facing a demographic time-bomb as their aging populations and low birth rates mean that they will have to rely on immigrants to drive and sustain economic growth. In Dominica, economist Mc Carthy Marie has been trying to draw attention to this, highlighting that our death rate consistently is greater than our birth rate, and that a targeted migration policy can be a vital key to driving growth in the local economy.”
Why a Global Migration Film Festival?
GMFF is an annual worldwide festival featuring films and documentaries that capture the promise and challenges of migration, and the unique contributions that migrants make to their new communities.
According to Alleyne-Esprit “Films have the power to show different facets of life, which can in turn help viewers to cultivate deeper empathy for migrants and a better understanding of their realities, needs, perspectives and capacities. The goal of the festival is to pave the way for greater discussion around migration, which is one of the greatest phenomena of our time. Films are used to inform, entertain, educate and to provoke debate. It is in this spirit that IOM, the UN Migration Agency, launched The Global Migration Film Festival (GMFF) in 2016. This year, Dominica is happy to join the Global Migration Film Festival with the screening of a film “One Way Ticket” which documents the experiences of people who have been forced to leave their homes due to conflict, and IOM together with UNHCR facilitates them to relocate to the United States. After the movie, we will open up the floor for a discussion on migration in the Dominica context. IOM in Dominica aims to fulfill its mandate in building migration management capacities where they are most needed, and this is an excellent way to start.”
The objective of the Global Migration Film Festival is to use films as educational tools that influence perceptions of and attitudes towards migrants, by bringing attention to social issues and creating safe spaces for respectful debate and interaction.
Opportunity for Local Films
The IOM Dominica team also hopes one day that a film from Dominica will make it through the GMFF Selection. Alleyne-Esprit says that the Caribbean is emerging as a region where climate-related displacement is a major phenomenon. This was demonstrated by the Dominica experience of Tropical Storm Erika – which displaced entire communities, and two years later Hurricane Maria. In other Caribbean countries, Hurricanes Maria, Irma and Dorian have also resulted in major internal displacement, which is another form of forced migration, within or across national borders. This creates an opportunity for filmmakers to share many stories. Every year, in preparation for the GMFF, professional and emerging filmmakers are invited to submit films about the migrant experience according to the established theme: “The Promise and Challenge of Migration, and the Positive Contributions Migrants Make to Their New Communities”. A committee of international film professionals select a number of outstanding productions to be screened for a diverse audience: thousands of people in almost 100 countries.
The screenings take place in varied locales, from cinemas to concert halls, and even impromptu settings in hard to reach areas and along popular migration routes such as the trans-Sahara corridor.
For information on the GMFF, International Migrants Day, or the IOM and its work in Dominica, please call, text or WhatsApp (767) 275-3225 or [email protected]
