Stevan Arbutina, a Serb, is married to Georgia, a Croatian. They are forced to immigrate to Australia after the devastating civil war in Yugoslavia makes it impossible for them to find peace and security in their old country. This compelling documentary traces the Arbutina family’s journey from Belgrade to Melbourne. Initially excited about arriving in a country fabled for prosperity and peace, the family soon discover that lack of employment opportunities and the barrier of language isolate them from the new world they have entered. By spending a year with the family, and by covering every aspect of the refugee process - arrival, social security, community services, learning to shop and travel - the filmmakers deliver an intimate and revealing portrait of the contemporary refugee experience; from the joy of survival to the depression arising from isolation and unemployment.
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How to watch
Collection
In ACMI's collection
Credits
Collection metadata
ACMI Identifier
315774
Language
English
Audience classification
PG
Subject categories
Anthropology, Ethnology, Exploration & Travel → Yugoslavia - Social life and customs
Documentary → Documentary films - Australia
Economics, Philosophy, Politics, Religion & Sociology → Australia - Emigration and immigration
Economics, Philosophy, Politics, Religion & Sociology → Refugees
Economics, Philosophy, Politics, Religion & Sociology → Refugees - Australia
Economics, Philosophy, Politics, Religion & Sociology → Social security - Australia
Economics, Philosophy, Politics, Religion & Sociology → Unemployment - Australia
Family, Gender Identity, Relationships & Sexuality → Family - Psychological aspects
Food, Health, Lifestyle, Medicine, Psychology & Safety → Depression, Mental
History → Refugees - Australia
Sound/audio
Sound
Colour
Colour
Holdings
VHS; Access Print (Section 1)