Filming a refugee's story

The filmmakers from Left to Right: Catherine Henderson, writer and creative consultant; Rosie Wyllie, animator; Katharine Seaton, producer, editor and composer-sound designer

​
We caught up with Katharine Seaton about her upcoming film, Suspended, which was made in conjunction with HWSF. Here are six things she told us about the film: 

• Our film, Suspended, tells the story of a man resettled in Hertfordshire under the Vulnerable Persons Resettlement scheme. He is a former restaurant owner who had to flee Syria to protect his family.

 

• We chose to make the film using stop motion animation with sound and music (as opposed to a traditional documentary) in order to protect the identity of this refugee for the sake of his friends and family who are still in Syria. We also thought this was a really good way to show what it felt like to be there. 

 

• He showed great courage and humanity in telling his own story, and was so hospitable and lively. He was passionate about making his experiences more widely known so that everyone can understand how the Syrian regime operates. 

 

• There were three elements of the storytelling: the narration, the animation and the soundtrack, and I've learned a lot of new ways that they can work together to build a story.

 

• The title of our film came from thinking about a life stopped in its tracks, suspended. There are chapters in the story that draw out the difficult physical meaning of that word, too: torture, and dependence on medical interventions. So we see suspension a lot. And, of course, the story isn't yet over. 

 

• I hope this story does for viewers what it did for me: makes them ask "what would I do, how would I cope?" I have so much admiration for the fortitude of the refugees I meet. 

If you’re interested in finding out more about Suspended, or donating towards its completion please get in touch with Katharine Seaton, [email protected]