LEARN ABOUT our latest project
THE BURNING: THE UNTOLD STORY OF AFRICA'S REFUGEE CRISIS
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THE FILM With unprecedented access, THE BURNING takes audiences across the world’s deadliest migration route - the Mediterranean Sea. A young mother, a brotherhood of orphaned boys, and a father desperate to reunite with his family lead viewers over 9,000 miles to reach a stretch of coast where only 8 miles of sea separates Africa from Europe.
Over the past decade, the European Union has violated international law to transform neighboring African nations into brutal holding cells for the millions of Africans who are forced to flee their homes every year. But with foreign media banned across North Africa, the human cost of the EU’s policies has been hidden from view. THE BURNING will bring the untold story of Africa's refugee crisis to light for the first time. Each story begins with a frightening act. In order to avoid being repatriated if captured, each refugee must burn all proof of their existence. The burning is like a sacrificial rite - an offering of their past lives in exchange for the small chance of surviving their journeys to a new and promising future. 
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WHY THIS FILM, WHY NOW Refugee stories from Syria to Ukraine have dominated international news in recent years, but the number of people forced to flee their homes in Africa last year was more than 4 times any other world region. Why haven’t we seen their stories?
The answer is tragic – those fleeing Africa rarely make it to safer shores. For every 500 who attempt to escape, only 10 will make it. Those who don’t remain trapped in North Africa where they are being imprisoned, enslaved, and even killed.
Filmed undercover, over the course of 10 years and across 12 countries, THE BURNING is unlike anything that has ever been seen before.
The answer is tragic – those fleeing Africa rarely make it to safer shores. For every 500 who attempt to escape, only 10 will make it. Those who don’t remain trapped in North Africa where they are being imprisoned, enslaved, and even killed.
Filmed undercover, over the course of 10 years and across 12 countries, THE BURNING is unlike anything that has ever been seen before.
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LEARN MORE ABOUT small world films
SMALL WORLD FILMS is a U.S.-based non-profit film production studio focused on telling human stories about global crises. Behind every number is a name, a face, and a story. We believe in the power of those stories to raise awareness, incite community action, and create positive global change.
Here at SMALL WORLD FILMS, we produce independent documentary films. Every one of our films is paired with a unique impact campaign that's designed to move audiences to action. We also help other filmmakers design, launch, and manage interactive social impact campaigns for their films. Some of our recent projects have brought global attention to how communities in West Africa are coping with the devastating effects of climate change, how a repeal of the DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) policy would affect 800,000+ young migrants in the United States, and how Palestinian artists are using their voices to rewrite popular narratives about their country's history. We tackle issues big and small, at home and abroad, and our top production experts are ready to support storytellers every step of the way.
If you're interested in learning more about how we can help you tell your story through film or design a social impact campaign around a film you've already created, please send us a message through our contact page. We can't wait to hear from you!
Here at SMALL WORLD FILMS, we produce independent documentary films. Every one of our films is paired with a unique impact campaign that's designed to move audiences to action. We also help other filmmakers design, launch, and manage interactive social impact campaigns for their films. Some of our recent projects have brought global attention to how communities in West Africa are coping with the devastating effects of climate change, how a repeal of the DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) policy would affect 800,000+ young migrants in the United States, and how Palestinian artists are using their voices to rewrite popular narratives about their country's history. We tackle issues big and small, at home and abroad, and our top production experts are ready to support storytellers every step of the way.
If you're interested in learning more about how we can help you tell your story through film or design a social impact campaign around a film you've already created, please send us a message through our contact page. We can't wait to hear from you!
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