Sabaa Sanawat Fi Al Kalaa

Richard MacLeod - Filmmaker
http://www.richardmacleod.co.uk
Kath Boodhai - Writer and Producer

The Lebanese asylum seeker Richard MacLeod's film focuses on his experience of being forced to leave his family and friends to settle in Newcastle.

He said: "The aim of my film was to counteract the negative image of asylum seekers often seen in the media. It focuses on my emotions and feelings about leaving home as one example of how many asylum seekers - from my experience - feel and what they go through away from home and family.

"People need to know that we are all humans so they can stop being afraid. It's the fear that we have towards strangers that generates the hatred."

The 36-year-old is chairman of the Cultural Awareness Integration volunteer group, based in Newcastle City Centre.

He said: "We run workshops with different topics in the community. This is to give people from different races and genders a space to explore what is common between them away from the influence of the media and politics. The media and politicians too often highlight our differences as and when it suits their agenda but people need to look at the many things that we share in common."

Please click on the link below to watch the film (pop up window)