Storyline
This documentary film takes us to an in-depth look at the asylum
process of the federal U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service
(INS). Foreigners that are already in the United States, having fled
their home countries, have the opportunity to apply for asylum through
the INS. If a person's case establishes a "well-founded fear" of his/her
home country, the adjudicating immigration officer approves his/her
asylum application. If a person's case does not quite meet up to the
officer's expectation of a "well-founded fear," it is referred to an
immigration judge for a decision
Due to the film’s success in the classroom and other education
situations, two discussion modules were produced to accompany the film.
- Tales From Real Life
provides an in-depth look at five memorable people from countries
around the globe, all seeking asylum in the United States. Each case
study, of an actual asylum interview, provides window into a very
different life experience:
- Lyudmila, a Jewish ex-soviet from Belarus, living in Minsk, who feels persecuted by her neighbors and strangers.
- Jamal, a Sudanese political dissident who was tortured and is intent on describing his entire story.
- Gjergi, an Albanian, kidnapped by the secret-police and beaten after writing an article in his high school newspaper.
- Alfonso, a Guatemalan who is modest about how he was affected by civil war.
- Mareja, a former Yugoslavian, unable to prosecute her abusive husband because his Communist Party family ruled the region.
- Practicing Asylum Law
is geared especially toward the needs of advocates, legal professionals
and their clients. It offers concrete examples for discussion and
analysis, along with notes and commentary by experts and Asylum Office
insiders. This module illustrates the interactions between attorneys and
asylum officers. Practicing Asylum Law also includes an extended
feature about the dangers of translation, showing actual examples of
mistakes made during asylum interviews.
Part 1 : http://vimeo.com/46476690
Part 2 : http://vimeo.com/46242686
Part 3 : http://vimeo.com/44549743
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