The 14th Charity Refugee Film Festival (Ended)

The 14th Charity Refugee Film Festival is going to be held between 07 June and 06 July 2021, as we commemorate the power of inclusion for the World Refugee Day on 20 June.

There are four featured refugee films this year via online screening.  Special screenings in cinema* for selected films will happen in late June.  Donate now to to unlock films to further understand and support refugees globally.

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Special Screenings in Cinema

Fundraising Target:
HK$200,000

 

Enough for providing primary healthcare services to 2,000 refugees in low-resource setting six days per week, supporting 24/7 emergency services in camps through nurses and ambulances to ensure referral of urgent cases especially under the pandemic.

Donate HK$100 through links on this page to get one desired online complimentary ticket to our online streaming platform!

You can also enjoy all four featured refugee films with movie pass for donation over HK$350!  

Note 1: The screening platform is limited to Hong Kong SAR and Macao SAR.
Note 2: *Special screenings of “The Cave” and “Beyond the Raging Sea” are available in late June in cinema. Please refer to Broadway’s website for more information. Any changes in the programme will not be further notified. For details, please refer to the updates of the cinema’s website.

Donate HK$350 to Get Full Access Online Movie Pass Now

Special Screenings in Cinema

Featured Refugee Films

Film: “The Cave”
Length: 107 minutes
Category: IIA
Language: Arabic (with Chinese and English subtitles)​

Synopsis:
Oscar nominee Feras Fayyad (“Last Men in Aleppo”) delivers an unflinching story of the Syrian war with his powerful new documentary, The Cave.

For besieged civilians, hope and safety lie underground inside the subterranean hospital known as the Cave, where pediatrician and managing physician Dr. Amani Ballour and her colleagues Samaher and Dr. Alaa have claimed their right to work as equals alongside their male counterparts, doing their jobs in a way that would be unthinkable in the oppressively patriarchal culture that exists above.

Following the women as they contend with daily bombardments, chronic supply shortages and the ever-present threat of chemical attacks, The Cave paints a stirring portrait of courage, resilience and female solidarity.

Film: “We are not Princesses”
Length: 75 minutes
Category: I
Language: Arabic (with Chinese and English subtitles)

Synopsis:
We Are Not Princesses is a documentary film about the incredible strength and spirit of four Syrian women living as refugees in Beirut, Lebanon as they come together to tell their stories of love, loss, pain and hope through the ancient Greek play, Antigone.

In the theatre, these Syrian women refugees find community and way to process their trauma as a result of the ongoing conflict in Syria. These resilient, intelligent, articulate women are picking up the pieces of their lives and moving forward together. This film uses intimate footage and animation to follow how this group of women find laughter and purpose as they come together to perform the play.

Film: “UNSETTLED: Seeking Refuge in America”
Length:
84 minutes
Category: IIA
Language: English (with Chinese subtitles)

Synopsis:
UNSETTLED reveals the untold stories of LGBTQ refugees and asylum seekers who have fled intense persecution from their home countries and who are resettling in the U.S.

The film follows four new arrivals, each of whom have escaped potential peril in their native countries for being different. They’ve landed in the purported “gay mecca” of San Francisco, yet even there, building a new life in an adopted nation is a precarious undertaking.

As Trump’s leadership in America restricted immigrants and drastically cut the flow of refugees and asylum seekers, UNSETTLED sheds light on a group about which few people know. What are the costs persecuted people pay for seeking refuge? And how are everyday citizens stepping forward to help those most in need?

Exclusive Film: “Beyond the Raging Sea”*
Length: 70 minutes
Category: I
Language: English (with Chinese subtitles)

Synopsis:

Beyond the Raging Sea is an action-adventure documentary about extraordinary journeys, harrowing ordeals and transformational discoveries. This is the gripping tale of two determined castaways struggling for survival in the middle of an Atlantic storm.

Omar Samra climbed the highest peak on every continent, skied to both poles, but needed a new challenge. Omar Nour was training for his Olympic debut in Rio, when injury struck and ended his bid. After a year of intense training, Team O2 headed west from the Canary Islands toward Antigua, dedicating their high-profile endeavor to the plight of refugees worldwide.
Beyond the Raging Sea is a story that both echoes and illuminates the most pressing humanitarian crisis in the world today.

*Available online screening from 19 June to 06 July 2021

 

Want to watch all the films at home?

Choose “Movie Pass” to watch all the above movies online during the film festival:

Donate HK$350 to Claim Your Full Access Online Movie Pass Now

Access Movie Step By Step Guideline

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Where can I access the information on the Film Festival?

Details are available on our website at www.unhcr.org/hk/film . You may find the trailers of four films and the promotional videos of the Film Festival on the UNHCR YouTube channel

2. Are the films appropriate for children or teenagers?

“The Cave” contains scenes of the conflicts in the Syrian war and some of the plots may cause anxiety. It is recommended that parents watch it with their children or young audiences. The other three films do not contain the above-mentioned content. However, if parents are concerned with the theme or content of the films, it is also recommended that parents watch them with their children or young audiences.

3. Are there Chinese subtitles for the films?

Traditional Chinese subtitles are available for all films. If the film is mainly in a language other than English, English subtitles are also available for that film.

4. Are the films screened online or in the cinema?

The four refugee films we selected this year are all available online. For details of online screenings, please refer to Q6.

Besides, there are also special screenings for “The Cave” and “Beyond the Raging Sea” in the cinema in late June:

  • “Beyond the Raging Sea”: 20 June (World Refugee Day) | 08:15 PM | MOViE MOViE Cityplaza (Taikoo)
    26 June | 12:30 PM | Cinematheque
  • “The Cave”: 27 June | 12:00 PM | Cinematheque

If you are interested in the special screenings in cinema, please visit Broadway’s website.

5. Are the films globally accessible?

No. For copyright reasons, the Film Festival is only accessible for Hong Kong and Macau audiences.

6. Where can I purchase the ticket? What are the ticketing options?

For online screenings, you may first choose your preferred movie at www.unhcr.org/hk/film, and then donate a minimum of HK$100 to redeem a movie ticket. If you wish to redeem a movie pass for access to all four movies, please visit the designated donation page for a minimum donation of HK$350.

Press here for Movie Pass

Press here for one-off ticket for The Cave

Press here for one-off ticket for We are not Princesses

Press here for one-off ticket for UNSETTLED: Seeking Refuge in America

Press here for one-off ticket for Beyond the Raging Sea

7. If I have donated HK$200/$300 on the UNHCR ticketing donation page, does it mean that I can redeem multiple tickets for the same movie or tickets for multiple movies?

No. Each donation amounting to HK$100 or more (no matter the amount) is equivalent to the redemption of a single one-off ticket. If you would like to redeem another ticket for the same movie, please make another donation on the designated donation page. If you would like to redeem a ticket for each of the four films, you may directly donate for an amount of at least HK$350 for a movie pass .

8. Are there any other ticketing methods?

Starting in early June, audience may also purchase one-off online movie tickets directly at the screening platform at the price of HKD$100 (excluding the transaction fee charged by the third-party payment service). But the ticketing expenditure shall not be regarded as donation, thus neither donation receipt nor tax allowance will be available.

9. Where would the donation collected from this year Refugee Film Festival be spent on?

The fundraising goal of the Refugee Film Festival is HK$200,000, which is sufficient to provide basic medical services for 2,000 refugees who lack resources for 6 days per week. The services include arranging nurses and ambulances on duty to provide round-the-clock emergency services, so as to ensure timely referral in the event of an epidemic outbreak or critical situation.

All of the revenue generated from the movie tickets will be used to support refugee protection projects, without deducting any cost of the event.

10. How can I access the movies after donation?

Upon successful donation, you will receive our donation confirmation email with watching code and streaming guideline. Please follow instruction on the confirmation email using the designated link to unlock the film with your email.  Enjoy your film during this film festival period from 7 June to 6 July.

Note: The finale movie “Beyond the Raging Sea” is screened online starting from 19 June.

11. Is there any time limit for my viewing access? Can I watch my chosen film more than one time?

The movies* are available online starting from 7 June. You may activate your watching code at any time you preferred from that day onwards until the 6 July to watch the movies. After activating the watching code, you have to watch the movies within 14 days or the last day of the Film Festival (6 July) whichever is the earliest. In other words, if you activate the watching code on or before 23 June, you have 14 days to start watching the movies; if you activate the watching code on 1 July, you have to start watching the movie on or before 6 July.

Please note: after pressing “Play”, you have 48 hours to finish your movie. Within the 48 hours, you have unlimited access to the film.

*Note: The finale movie “Beyond the Raging Sea” is screened online starting from 19 June.

12. Can I watch the movies on my mobile phone, computer, tablet or other electronic devices?

Yes. If you encounter any technical difficulties, please refer to the “Help” session of the viewing platform. You may also send a message to our Facebook page or contact us at [email protected].

Our office hours are Monday to Friday, 9 am to 6 pm (except public holidays). For email inquiries during office hours, we will generally respond within 24 hours. For email inquiries outside office hours, we will reply on the next working day latest.

13. What can I do if I have not received the confirmation email or have lost the Watching Code after donation?

You may contact us at [email protected] for such inquiries.

Our office hours are Monday to Friday, 9 am to 6 pm (except public holidays). For email inquiries during office hours, we will generally respond within 24 hours. For email inquiries outside office hours, we will reply on the next working day latest.

Special sharing

Interview with Director of “Beyond the Raging Sea” and Team O2 (Full Version)

Interview with Producer of “We Are Not Princesses” (Full Version)

Interview with Director of “UNSETTLED: Seeking Refuge in America”(Full Version)

World Refugee Day cum The 14th Charity Refugee Film Festival Welcoming Speech