19 Days film follows refugee families in Calgary
Canadian Immigrant presents National Film Board films on immigration and diversity
The National Film Board of Canada (NFB) is a federal cultural agency within the portfolio of the Canadian Heritage Department. Its mission is to provide, through film, “new perspectives on Canada and the world from Canadian points of view” — and immigrant voices have been a big part of their documentary film library.
19 Days (2016) is a 26-minute documentary film that follows several refugee families during their first 19 days in Canada.
Located in the Calgary neighbourhood of Bridgeland, the Margaret Chisholm Resettlement Centre is the starting point for government-assisted refugees who arrive in the city, many coming from wartorn countries like Somalia, Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan.
During the 19-day timeline established by the federal government, an initial assessment is done and refugees are assisted with everything from airport reception and orientation to referrals, documents and counselling.
Directed by Somali-Canadian filmmakers Asha and Roda Siad, 19 Days reveals the human side of the refugee resettlement process.
19 Days, Asha Siad & Roda Siad, provided by the National Film Board of Canada