375+ celebrate NIRV films, filmmakers and subjects at the premiere

New Immigrant and Refugee Visions (NIRV) in film premiered at the Boston Public Library March 31 and April 1, 2019. More than 375 people came to see and discuss the films and celebrate the work of the filmmakers and the lives of their subjects.

Five films were shown at each event, followed by questions for the audience about the issues covered in the films and then questions for the filmmakers from the audience.  Here are a few of the comments from the feedback forms:

— “I’d like to be neighbors with all of these immigrant filmmakers and their subjects.”

— “[This event motivated me] to change the way I think about immigration – less as an issue and more about supporting people.  We don’t have to “protect” our country from [immigrants].”

— “[After today’s screening and discussion I think] this may be a way to reach immigration skeptics.”

— “It made me want to work even harder to change our politics around immigration.”

— “I was living in a ‘bubble’ before seeing these films. I did not know about all the problems immigrants face.”

— “[These films] give new perspective to my work as a teacher of young immigrants.”

— “Hearing their experiences and struggles made me think about my own relatives and how they must have struggled too.”

— “I would love to share [these stories] and facts about immigration with the white and very conservative community in which I grew up – one that views immigration with fear, anger and disdain.”

— “I thought it was all going to be sad, but it … made me smile!”

The two-day celebration was also the launch of our national Get-the-NIRV Screen&Discuss campaign.  We want these films used in communities welcoming and resistant to immigrants to raise awareness, foster dialogue and promote action.

• Share excerpts of the 10 NIRV films with your friends;

• Organize a screening in your community – from your town hall to the halls of Congress – with  our Action Toolkit and Teaching Resources as your guide.