A Small Town Welcome traces the experiences of the residents of the sleepy hamlet of Dorrigo (pop 969) when a family of eight Sudanese refugees settle in their midst. Over the next two years, the new family settles into their new lives, while the town makes well-meaning but increasingly problematic attempts to help them. A Small Town Welcome tackles the thorny dilemmas that come with integration, and pinpoints the moment when a community’s warm-hearted desire to help becomes unwitting interference.
Director | Writer
Title A Small Town Welcome
Director | Writer Ili Baré
Production and Broadcast ABC TV
Date 2008
Award
UN Media Peace Award, 2008
Reviews
“keep the tissues handy … powerful”
– The Age
“enlightening and heart-warming”
– Sydney Morning Herald (Metro)
“Watching one of the young daughters give a talk to her wide-eyed classmates about losing her baby brother and sister to hunger and thirst in the camp is unforgettable.”
– Sydney Morning Herald