Together with Tamer Alalloush who was stranded at Lesbos on his journey to the Netherlands, I, John Akerman Özgüç, will be making a pure, raw documentary of what is going on in the refugee camps in Lesbos from a different perspective and life in the Netherlands as a former refugee. Aside from the hardships refugees go through from a first person perspective, I also want to show that they’re human beings like everyone else, which is portrayed differently in most media. By immersing the viewer into the life of the refugee, I want to remove any fears or prejudice they may have regarding refugees.
After Lesvos, we will display the new life of a former Refugee who was given the chance to rebuild his existence in the Netherlands. It hurts me to see people being set up against each other for political ends, and would love to have a more inclusive society without xenophobia, and part of what makes my life meaningful is to use my capacities as filmmaker with a neuropsychological background to inspire people and lift prejudice. Another aspect of the ‘refugee crisis’ is the fact that during WW II, tens of thousands of Europeans have been welcomed in Arabic countries such as Syria. The documentary should convey the message that the refugees are not taking, but giving to our society.
