Return to Life
John Krish's deeply compassionate documentary on the resettlement of refugees in Britain; made to mark World Refugee Year 1959.
A refugee family comes to terms with living in England and adjusting to a new language and culture. John Krish's deeply compassionate documentary on the resettlement of refugees was produced by Leon Clore, on behalf of the Central Office of Information, to mark International Refugee Year 1959.
Although Clore was then known for his association with Free Cinema talents Lindsay Anderson and Karel Reisz, Krish's approach to the material is largely at odds with the Free Cinema ethos, although he does characteristically cross the boundaries of documentary and fiction by using real-life refugees to play characters in a fictionalised narrative.Director John Krish's empathy for his subject may have been influenced by his own family's immigrant background; his father and both sets of his grandparents had come to Britain as Jewish refugees from eastern Europe. The deeply compassionate treatment of this theme, following an opening section drawing attention to Britain's history as a haven for refugees, serves as a reminder that the UK was not always as keen to demonstrate the 'hard line' approach to immigration and asylum that it tends to favour today (particularly when addressing its own citizens).
Refugee Week
To mark Refugee Week, BFI and Counterpoints Arts have compiled a collection of films that explore refugee experiences across continents and generations
From First World War newsreels to 21st Century online video, these works bear witness to displacement across the globe.
Refugee Week is an international festival of arts, cultural and educational events that celebrate the contributions and diversity that refugees bring, and encourages a better understanding between communities.
12 videos in this collection
Refuge England
Refugees in Shanghai Their Life and Their Education
Aid to China
British Nurses in Serbia
A City of Chaos
Ostend in War-Time
Formosa - Island of Promise