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  • Reports

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  • Civic Leadership
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DOCUMENTARY FILMS
AND GRASSROOTS ENGAGEMENT FOR
IMMIGRATION JUSTICE

A Study of the Stories Beyond Borders Initiative

Read The Report Download the Report

By Aras Coskuntuncel,
Caty Borum Chattoo,
and David Conrad-Pérez

center for media & social impact
school of communication
american university

February 2021

The screening process put a face to [audiences’] reactions and needs that we were seeing online.

I definitely do see documentaries as being a very useful tool for organizing.

Many people “ask specifically how they can be involved in volunteer efforts.

[The screenings] definitely bring people this feeling of, ‘Why am I not doing anything about this?’.

Documentaries allow “people to see what’s happening as opposed to just hearing what’s happening. When you put faces to what’s happening in immigration, it’s more impactful.

The ability “to watch pieces that reflected who we are, but also getting to discuss them with one another” is crucial and a great way “to build a community.

Table of Contents

  • INTRODUCTION
  • OVERVIEW: STORIES BEYOND BORDERS
  • RESEARCH OVERVIEW
  • OVERALL KEY FINDINGS AND OPPORTUNITIES
  • SECTION 1: NATIONAL AND LOCAL PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS
  • SECTION 2: FILMMAKERS
  • SECTION 3: POST-SCREENING SURVEY
  • SECTION 4: KEY LEARNINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
  • APPENDIX A
  • APPENDIX B
  • End Notes

About The Center for Media & Social Impact

The Center for Media & Social Impact (CMSI), based at American University’s School of Communication in Washington, D.C., is an innovation lab and research center that creates, studies, and showcases media for social impact. Focusing on independent, documentary, entertainment, and public media, CMSI bridges boundaries between scholars, producers, and communication practitioners who work across media production, media impact, social justice, public policy, and audience engagement. The Center produces resources for the field and research, convenes conferences and events, and works collaboratively to understand and design media that matter.

About The Report

This report was written by CMSI’s Aras Coskuntuncel (lead researcher), Caty Borum Chattoo, and David Conrad-Pérez. Varsha Ramani, CMSI communications and program manager, facilitated operations and communication support. This research was funded by a grant from Working Films.

Artwork by: Rommy Sobrado-Torrico

Acknowledgements

CMSI would like thank the organizers and representatives from the local and national NGOs and the filmmakers who shared their experiences and stories: Konrad Aderer, Sheridan Aguirre, Hope Balfa-Mustakim, Irma Chavez, Christine Delph, Rita Ellis, Glo Harn Choi, Monica Medellin, Joshua Nam, Enrique Orozco, Pilar Timpane, Shauna Siggelkow, Daniel Quintanilla, Adriana Quiroga, Rubi Quiroz, and Sam Yu. We also want to thank Working Films, particularly Andy Myers, Senior Impact Coordinator, and Anna Lee, Co- director, for their support throughout this research.

Working Films would like to thank the organizations and individuals that participated in the Stories Beyond Borders project and the foundations that made the work possible: The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, Perspective Fund, Southern Partners Fund, and the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation.

Read The Report
DOCUMENTARY FILMS AND GRASSROOTS ENGAGEMENT FOR IMMIGRATION JUSTICE

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INTRODUCTION

Table of Contents

  • INTRODUCTION
  • OVERVIEW: STORIES BEYOND BORDERS
  • RESEARCH OVERVIEW
  • OVERALL KEY FINDINGS AND OPPORTUNITIES
  • SECTION 1: NATIONAL AND LOCAL PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS
  • SECTION 2: FILMMAKERS
  • SECTION 3: POST-SCREENING SURVEY
  • SECTION 4: KEY LEARNINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
  • APPENDIX A
  • APPENDIX B
  • End Notes
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