Refugee (2020)
A gripping short drama about a Syrian doctor's desperate bid to escape war with her daughter, featuring an internationally acclaimed cast.
Refugee - Movie Information
- Original Title: Refugee
- Release Year: 2020
- Directed by: Brandt Andersen
- Type: Movie
- Genres: Drama
- Runtime: 23m
- Original Language: English
- Production Countries: United States of America
Refugee - Plot
A Syrian doctor attempts to escape her war-ravaged homeland with her young daughter.
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Refugee - Cast & Crew
Director(s)
- Brandt Andersen
Main Cast
- Jason Beghe
- Omar Sy
- Yasmine Al Massri
- Nour Bitar
- Jay Abdo
- Eyas Younis
- Birol Tarkan Yıldız
- Dina Shuhaiber
- Ayman Samman
- Massa Daoud
Writers
- Brandt Andersen
Producers
- Brandt Andersen
- Dina Shuhaiber
- Kristi Lake
- Jared Shores
Refugee - FAQs
What is Refugee (2020) about?
Refugee follows a Syrian doctor named Amira who desperately tries to flee her war-torn homeland alongside her young daughter Rima. The short film is a tense, emotionally charged portrait of survival, sacrifice, and the human cost of conflict, told with remarkable urgency in just 23 minutes.
Is Refugee based on a true story?
While Refugee is a fictional narrative, it draws deeply from the real-world Syrian refugee crisis. Writer-director Brandt Andersen crafted the story to humanize the experiences of millions of displaced Syrians, grounding the film in the documented realities of war, displacement, and dangerous escape attempts.
Who are the main actors in Refugee?
The cast features Jason Beghe as Dr. Lehman, Omar Sy as Marwan, and Yasmine Al Massri as Amira, the Syrian doctor at the heart of the story. Nour Bitar plays her daughter Rima, with Jay Abdo, Eyas Younis, Birol Tarkan Yıldız, Dina Shuhaiber, Ayman Samman, and Massa Daoud rounding out the ensemble.
Where can you stream Refugee (2020)?
You can watch Refugee on several platforms. It's available for free on Kanopy and through the ShortsTV Amazon Channel. You can also rent or buy it on Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, and Fandango At Home.
Who directed the short film Refugee?
Refugee was written and directed by Brandt Andersen, who also produced and wrote the screenplay. Andersen brought together an internationally recognized cast to tell this urgent story of displacement, with cinematography by Tobias A. Schliessler lending the film a striking visual intensity.
How long is the film Refugee (2020)?
Refugee runs for 23 minutes, making it a short film. Despite its brief runtime, it delivers a powerful and emotionally resonant story, packing the tension and heartbreak of a feature-length drama into a compact, impactful viewing experience.
What are similar films to Refugee (2020)?
If Refugee moved you, you might also connect with Adú (2020), which follows African migrants risking everything to reach Europe, or Ayka (2018), a raw portrait of a Central Asian woman struggling to survive. Sergio (2020) and The Divide (2021) are also worth exploring for similar themes of crisis and humanity.
When was Refugee (2020) released?
Refugee was released on May 17, 2020. The short drama was produced in the United States and brought together an international cast to tell its story of a Syrian doctor and her daughter navigating the dangers of war and displacement.
More About Refugee
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