Where the journey for African Asylum seekers begins in Israel. Global refugees struggle to overcome adversity in a new land fraught with insecurity and conflict.

Interview with Writer/Director/Producer Beth Toni Kruvant

Main Photo: Refugees are not Criminals, Haim Schwarczenberg

Congratulations! Why did you make your film?

To give voice to a variety of perspectives concerning global refugee issues.

Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?

To learn about the refugee problem by discovering different characters & their struggles.

Levinsky Park - Anti-Refugee Demonstration

How do personal and universal themes work in your film?

Personal-grandparents were refugees so I identify with a population running away from threat of death & being treated as the “other” Universal - refugee crisis in world affecting Europe & USA themes of xenophobia, nationalism, and personal identity pervade the film.

How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development and production?

The characters have taken a journey. One from Eritrea fleeing totalitarian regime shows us the Internet cafe he sets up for other refugees. Later on we visit him after the cafe is vandalized & broken by a right wing nationalist mob. The main character who fled civil war in Darfur,Sudan whose parents are educators & community activists seeks refugee status, goes in & out of detention centers and court & evolves into a community activist himself helping other refugees.

Levinsky Park - Yossi & Yaakov, restaurant owners

What type of feedback have you received so far?

Feedback - Very positive - Relevant to today’s political climate.

Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?

Underscored the importance to expose all points of view & bring all sides into the conversation.

What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?

Exposing the basis of perspectives people otherwise wouldn’t be open to.

Levinsky Park - Mutasim speaks at rally, Eliyahu Hershkovitz

Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?

Film festival - journalists- distributor.

What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?

Promote discussion on immigration & refugee crisis.

What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?

What does it mean to be a refugee particularly in a country founded by refugees?

Levinsky Park - Arms crossed at fence, Eliyahu Hershkovitz

What are the key creatives developing or working on now?

Making short refugee stories with college students. As an attorney I will be volunteering in refugee clinics & working at airports with other immigration attorneys.

Interview: March 2017

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We Are Moving Stories embraces new voices in drama, documentary, animation, TV, web series and music video. If you have just made a film - we'd love to hear from you. Or if you know a filmmaker - can you recommend us? More info: Carmela

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Levinsky Park

Where the journey for African Asylum seekers begins in Israel. Global refugees struggle to overcome adversity in a new land fraught with insecurity and conflict.

This film is a fascinating portrait of the myriad complexities and repercussions of one of the defining global controversies of our time: refugee migration.

Length: 66 minutes

Director: Beth Toni Kruvant

Producer: Beth Toni Kruvant

Writer: Beth Toni Kruvant

About the writer, director and producer:

Filmmaker Beth Toni Kruvant directs all films for Good Footage Productions. She is a graduate of Barnard College, Nova Law School, and NY Film Academy. Her recent films include the biop David Bromberg, Unsung Treasure (2012) which opened the Woodstock Film Festival and appeared on PBS nationwide. Heart of Stone, about the quest to bring alumni and gangs together to improve education at Weequahic High School, Newark,NJ, (2009) won best documentary at Philadelphia Film Festival, Del Ray Beach Film Festival, New Jersey Film Festival, Cinequest Film Festival, Kaiser Permanente Thrive Award at Cinequest Film Festival. Audience Award at Slamdance Film Festival. Heart of Stone then aired on Showtime for the subsequent two years. It received a grant to outreach to Universities and High Schools under “Campaign Kinship”.

Key cast:

Mutasim Ali, an activist and Sudanese asylum seeker

Looking for (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists):

Yes presently looking for distributor & more film festivals.

Funders:

Funding from friends & family.

Made in association with:

Made with Good Footage Productions