Belonging
- Director Paul Wu
- Year 2021
- Country Sweden, South Korea
- Duration 36 mins
Synopsis
"Belonging" is a 36 minute long documentary film that explores the idea that gaining a sense of belonging is an emotional journey which most of us in some ways experience. Through the stories of Korean actor Jung woo-sung, Syrian student: Abdul Wahab, Korean-born adoptees Soni and Jacob Jorgensen and Egyptian refugees Sarah Ahmed and Musab Darwish the film looks at what belonging means especially to those who have been displaced in some way. Filmed in Korea and Sweden and commissioned by UNHCR Korea, "Belonging" highlights the need for compassion for those who might appear different and encourages us all to ask ourselves "Where do you belong?"
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Director’s notes
"The documentary "Belonging" deals with issues that are personally very close to my heart. Born in Scotland to immigrant parents from Mauritius and Malaysia and now living in Sweden; shifting careers from being a dancer, to being a journalist, then a television producer and latterly a film-maker, my own sense of belonging has had a circuitous journey. Over the years, with my work with NGOs such as UNHCR I have met hundreds of people who have been displaced - by conflict, climate change and persecution - their stories and experiences have always had a powerful effect on me and although the circumstances of their journeys are extreme, I can relate to their longing for peace, stability and acceptance. In fact I believe that this search for belonging is universal. We are all on journeys to find a sense of belonging - whether that is because we have moved from one area to another, moved country, changed jobs or have been adopted or born in a place where we are seen as different or whether we are refugees, stateless or internally displaced. Human beings have an innate need to belong - to a group, to a place, to a tribe. We all want to be acknowledged and accepted and I hope that watching "Belonging" will encourage people to not only ask themselves where they belong but also encourage them to feel solidarity and compassion for those whose journeys of belonging are more difficult."