Borderstory

A tale of securitization. The people who interrupt it.

Borderstory tells a familiar story about the border as the primary tool for citizens’ safety. It seems true because it has been repeated so often. But displaced people tell more interesting, complex stories. Borderstory invites you into a dialogue about borders led by people on the move. What do you believe to be true about borders? What might you learn from other experiences? What’s your border story?

An imaginative animation opens the film. It tells a common tale about the border, a shapeshifting piece of yarn, and the people who encounter it. Left in a tangle of yarn, we wonder with the narrator: do we have any better stories? The animation is rewound, and this time, as three narrators retell the story, it’s interrupted by research interviews with people who have experiential, research, and industry expertise. The film finishes with a firsthand story—possibly better! Listen, reflect, and discuss.

For Educators:

This 24-minute multimedia documentary prompts introductory level discussions about:

• cross-sector perspectives on migration experiences

• imagination, culture, and belonging

• the ethics of storytelling

• the history of nation-state borders

• the cultural figure of the refugee

If you would like to use this film in a community dialogue or classroom lesson, resources are available, including a sample lesson plan. Click the link below.