CinemARC at Refugee Festival Scotland
We’re proud to be showcasing a selection of films which speak to migration, displacement and the experiences of those seeking refuge.
Refugee Week: Events
Date: Thursday 18 June 2026
Time: 17:30 - 20:00
Venue: The ARC
Category: Films and theatre, Social events, Sanctuary
This CinemARC programme of short films has been jointly curated by teams at the ARC, the UNESCO Chair on Refugee Integration through Language and the Arts (UNESCO RIELA) and the Glasgow Refugee, Asylum and Migration Network (GRAMNet).
After the screenings, a panel of filmmakers and researchers will discuss the making of their films, the research that went into it and the topics covered. There will be the opportunity for audience members to ask questions and to join in the discussion.
Films
The Story of Migration | MIDEQ | 7 mins
The Story of Migration is a seven-minute animation produced in collaboration with MIDEQ partner PositiveNegatives and illustrated by artist Karrie Fransman. The animation is based on a script written with MIDEQ Hub partners in 11 countries and across various disciplines. The animation innovatively captures the key concepts underpinning the MIDEQ Hub, challenging many of the ideas that dominate media and academic representations of migration. It tells a new story of migration which draws attention to South-South migration and the relationships between migration, development and inequality and is grounded in research undertaken by those whose knowledge and perspectives are often underrepresented in global academic, media and policy debates.
Departing | Mary Martins | 8mins
Departing is a short experimental and animated documentary that reflects on the themes of migration, forced displacement of people and the removal of children. The stories are expressed through music, interviews, poetry, and collaging a range of techniques, including ink on 16mm film, scratch film, and 2D hand-drawn animation. These multi-layered responses explore the issues surrounding the past and recent UK immigration laws in the broader context of the world's current social, economic and political climate.
Untitled | Akram Alashqa | 32 mins
In a world where the narratives of oppressed people are manipulated by their oppressors, Untitled (2025) exposes the censorship and attempts to erase the story of Palestine. This desktop documentary intimately follows the filmmaker’s journey through online archives, social media, and algorithms, confronting the complexities of representation. Viewers witness the discoveries and biases that shape a powerful narrative, inviting them to reflect on the critical stories that must be heard.
A Story Left Behind | Asma Kabadeh | 14 mins
A researcher discovers the fragmented stories of the first Somali woman in Sheffield. Resurrecting her memory, the film questions whose stories get told and who gets to tell them. Having moved to Sheffield from Somalia at 11, Najma feels like many migrants, who straddle two worlds yet feel disconnected from both. She discovers a short storybook in the Sheffield Library written by Halima, a Somali woman who arrived in the UK in 1956. The information she finds creates a limited and fragmented, but deeply sombre, narrative. A Story Left Behind follows Najma as she tries to fill in the gaps in Halima's story, exploring the contradictions of what Halima recorded of her life and what she omitted. Through this process, Najma embarks on a journey of self-discovery. With her film, Asma Kabadeh celebrates Sheffield's vibrant Somali community, while discussing the universal importance of archiving cultural history as an anchor for future generations.