BYU Alum Creates Documentary Highlighting Refugee Women in Greece

The refugee experience is a popular topic in the media, with images of families escaping violent, war-torn countries and debates about immigration policies sparking controversy worldwide. This exposure often leads to an increased understanding and empathy, but can also create a feeling of “us” versus “them.” When Scott Lunt heard about an opportunity to be a part of the Azadi project — an organization devoted to helping refugee women develop digital media skills to empower their employment opportunities — he was all in. Lunt — a BYU alumnus who graduated with an MA in communications in 2007 — was first asked by Priyali Sur, the founder of Azadi, to help teach the filmmaking portion of the workshop. Quickly, however, Lunt recognized the potential of the experience to shine a light on individual refugee stories. “Right from the start, Priyali and I both thought it would make a good subject for a documentary to illuminate the lives of these human beings in a way that we can all learn from,” Lunt said. “I reconnected with a fellow filmmaker, Hanna Stawicki, and asked her to join me as a co-director. She agreed, and we were off.” The film — shot entirely in Athens, Greece — follows three refugee women as they rebuild their lives in a new country. The women explore lessons they have learned from being displaced from their home countries, while gaining confidence, resilience and storytelling skills through videography. Read the full story at comms.byu.edu.