French, Spanish, German, American, Japanese: Australia has no shortage of film festivals categorised by country. But what about the stories of those with no nation at all? Lighting up screens for the first time as part of this year's Refugee Week, the films in the Refugee Film Festival will explore the trials and tribulations of people fleeing persecution and war.
The festival will be held at Carlton's Cinema Nova from June 18-23. Standout titles include The Staging Post, which chronicles the lives of two asylum seekers stuck in Indonesia as a result of Australia's policy of turning back boats; The Land Between, about sub-Saharan African migrants living in the mountains of northern Morocco; and Constance on Edge, a ten-year project that tells the story of a Sudanese refugee family making a new life in Australia.
Cinephiles outside of Sydney and Melbourne can also put their hand up to host a screening themselves. For more information on how to make that happen, as well as the full festival program, go here.