THE THIRD COUNTRY
Documentary | 15 min | Tomorrow Pictures Inc & 285 South
Director/Producer: Fr3deR1cK | Producers: Ellen Barnard, Sophia Qureshi, Frederick Taylor
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What’s it like to leave everything you know? To flee war torn Myanmar and wake up in a refugee camp? And, finally, to be resettled in the US South?
Young Burmese refugees navigate these waters, building new lives in Georgia with their homeland top of mind. The Third Country is a 15-minute short film that dives into the stories of young Burmese Americans, from their memories in Myanmar to their lives in Thai refugee camps to their first days in school in Clarkston, a small city east of Atlanta.
They face a reality where many parents work endlessly at chicken factory jobs to make better lives for them. They overcome generational issues, learn English and try to fit in at school. They leave behind loved ones in peril in Myanmar, balancing difficult everyday lives with resilience and compassion, looking for brighter futures.
The short doc focuses on the journey of Kpor, who came to Georgia as a child and became the first person in her family to go to college, and eventually become a nurse.
Despite the odds against her - her father worked in a chicken factory in rural Georgia, she had to quickly learn English, and play the role of intermediary for her parents and U.S. society - she graduated with a nursing degree and is working in the US. With her success in the US making a life for herself and her family on track, Kpor, like many of her peers, hopes to travel to Burma to serve her people.
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Through her story, and the stories of other Burmese living in Metro Atlanta, this film shows both the challenges and triumphs of building a new home in the U.S. South.
The Third Country presents an intimate portrait of the harrowing migration journey refugees endure, the lives they live after settling in the US, all with the backdrop of war at home and the global crisis of displacement ever present.
Young Burmese-American women sell their jewelry and fashion items at a gathering of the people in Atlanta, GA from Chin communities across the US
UPDATE FROM THE FILMMAKERS:
The Third Country premiered in Los Angeles at Dances With Films Summer 2024. In addition, screenings will be scheduled in Burmese communities throughout Georgia in 2025. The filmmakers are currently fundraising to support the impact tour and to extend the short film to a feature length.
To support Burmese refugees:
Friends of Refugees: A Clarkston-based organization that works to empower refugees through opportunities that provide for their well-being, education, and employment.
The Burmese Rohingya Community of Georgia: BRCG promotes self-sufficiency and equity for immigrants, refugees, and the underprivileged through comprehensive health and social services, community development, cultural activities, capacity building, and advocacy.
International Rescue Committee (IRC): The IRC in Atlanta offers a broad range of programs including resettlement and case management services, adult education classes, youth programs, asset building resources, community health response programs, and immigration services.