TRAILER: The Pursuit of Refuge

The team at Reel Nation Media and I are proud to publish the first trailer for our latest film, The Pursuit of Refuge.

“An intimate portrait of a Syrian Refugee father and his family building a life from zero in their new home, the United States of America.”

A story of adaptation, survival, and happiness

Anas is the father of a Syrian refugee family who has escaped the Syrian Civil War and just immigrated to their new home in Allentown, Pennsylvania, USA. To their surprise, life in the melting pot is just the beginning of their pursuit of refuge; They must now build their new lives from zero. This is where the story begins.

To integrate and survive in the USA, Anas has to sustain his family with menial labor all day long. His only escape is to learn English in what little time he has so that he can pursue his career of 20 years, construction. Anas' six children have to trek thirty minutes to school every day. Some haven't had formal education for three years. Meanwhile, the entire family has to fast during the month of Ramadan, making even the smallest obstacles a struggle. Can they find a true home through these challenges?

The Pursuit of Refuge is a human journey that all embark on, no matter who they are. This short documentary is an intimate portrait of what it means to find happiness after you've lost everything.

Coming Soon

The Pursuit of Refuge is coming to festivals in Fall 2018 and then in universities and community centers in Winter 2018. To not miss out on the screenings, make sure to sign up for updates at the film's webpage here: www.reelnationmedia.com/thepursuitofrefuge

KEEP IT REEL!

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How do Syrian Refugees Live in the USA? - Introduction

So how do Syrian Refugees live in the USA? Well that is the exact question I asked when I learned a year ago that Allentown PA, a town near me, was accepting Syrian Refugees into its community. The issue is now a hot topic with all the elections and debates going on in the popular media. Some will say "yes accept them with open arms!" Others will say "no, they're a danger to our communities. Some may be associated with terrorism. Look at what happened to Europe." My opinion fell somewhere in the middle, but, of course like most people, I was ignorant.

What is the true effect of these families settling in my home, the USA? How does the USA effect and change them? What is the true story and motivations behind these families? And most importantly, how do they relate to us?

I was told by a wise teacher that you will never truly know a people until you sit down with their children at their dinner table/mat. To answer my questions, I aimed to do just that, and film it.

My film Refuge seeks to answer the questions above. For the next few weeks, I will relate the story of my filming and beautiful experience of getting to know a lovely family that I learned to call my own. This blog series (hopefully to become a video series) will explore this journey step by step. I hope you join me by signing up at www.reelnationmedia.com/refuge. As I edit and film the last few sequences, you will be able to get an exclusive insight and even contribution to the creation of my film: the answer of How do refugees live in the USA?

Have you seen the teaser trailer for the film? Watch below!

Please feel free to comment below on what you'd like to see and if you have any ideas on how we can better go through this journey together. Looking forward to it guys!

Keep it Reel!

Abdullah Abu-Mahfouz

#SyrianRefuge #Syrian #Announcement #AbdullahAbuMahfouz #Refugee #ReelNationMedia #Trailer #Blog #VideoSeries #USA

New "STAND UP" Testimonials and Video

Last winter we test screened Stand Up to multiple audiences across multiple formats. Most of those audiences were wrestlers...

Overall it was an awesome experience. We got to engage with our audience and see all the genuine laughs, tears, and determination they walked out of the rooms with. This is why we make movies in the first place at Reel Nation Media- to inspire these emotions.

Below is a list on some reactions from the screenings. Most participants remained to stay anonymous.

• "This film has built up inspiration inside of me. I will push myself to be the best I can be and give 110% like Cevon said” -Unknown

• "Captures the ups and downs of a wrestling season, but most importantly shows the character development of student athletes" -Jason Woodall

• "This film not only captured the essence of the sport of wrestling, but it also showed the struggles of an athlete and all things required of a wrestler as well. It had ups and downs captured perfectly!" -Mahlon Chase

• "Very Immersive. I felt like I was sitting mat-side" -Anthony Mancuso

• "This documentary shows that hard work does pay off, and your real friends will push you to become better. The grind doesn’t stop even when the season is over. It taught me playing in a team sport is like having a huge family.” -"Awais Sultan"

• "It was emotional and kept me on the edge" -Unknown

• "It showed me that courage can take your far. If you keep pushing yourself then there is no limit." -Unknown

• "Hard work has a value for all of life, bot just “winning”!"-Unknown

• "I forgot I was watching a movie. It kept me on the edge of my seat." -Unknown

Along with these testimonies, we are releasing a new trailer which features some of the written testimonies above. At the end of our trailer, NOVEMBER 2016 blasts as the release date. More information on that coming soon.

Until next time.. Keep it Reel!

P.S. make sure to check out our Stand Up YouTube Playlist for all videos released about Stand Up.

Youtube Playlist Link: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLBTG0RqhnI4ZlyV3AeqKAe9O_uF1G1ANm

#Trailer #StandUp #Documentary #ReleaseDate #Teaser #Wrestling #TestScreening #Testimonies