Voices Out of Shadows

Documentary | 30 Minutes

Directed by James Cullingham and Rob Viscardis

Voices Out of Shadows celebrates the courageous efforts of a group of newcomers to Canada adjusting to new lives while continuing their struggles for human rights in their countries of origin. Profiling individuals from The Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Myanmar and Türkiye now living in Ottawa, Peterborough or Toronto the film examines the decisive resilience that leads people to continue peaceful activism in academics, diplomacy and through various forms of storytelling. The subjects of this film welcome the freedom and relative safety they enjoy in Canada but insist on raising their voices and furthering consciousness among Canadians about severe human rights and freedom of speech issues in parts of the world that often receive scant attention in our media.

Writer: James Cullingham
Editor & Cinematographer: Rob Viscardis
Production & Post: Outsideinside
Producer: Rob Viscardis
Executive Producers: John Packer and Nadia Abu-Zahra, Co-Directors of Activists In Exile
Produced by Activists in Exile – Human Rights Research & Education Centre, University of Ottawa in association with World Refugee & Migration Council and Outsideinside

Participants

AiE:
Victor Amisi Sulubika
John Jonaid
Arzu Yildiz
Gezahegn Demissie
Sosina Ashenafi
Soe Wuttye Htoo

HRREC:
Nadia Abu-Zahra
John Packer

To learn more about this work and how you can help, please visit voicesinexile.ca.