Mary Meets Mohammad

One of the most divisive and emotive debates in Australia is the "asylum seeker issue". As long as we are able to keep it as a theoretical debate, it is fed by xenophobia and protection. But, when the issue is informed by the meeting of people, by the sharing of story and the willingness to hear, then the issue is transformed from abstract to personal.

[What continues to disappoint me, (sadly, it no longer surprises me), is how our country's leaders are able to visit and see a land from which some asylum seekers are escaping and still fuel the debate with the language of protection and feed a fearful community with images of extremist, fundamentalist, terrorists. How do you ignore the individuals that, despite all the best efforts and intentions of our military personnel, still have a "well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality membership of a particular social group or political opinion... and is unable or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to avail himself of the protection of that country".*]

However, Mary Meets Mohammad is a documentary that tells the story of one such transformation from bitter uninformed distrust to abiding respect and love:

Tasmania’s first detention center opens and local knitting club member Mary, a staunchly Christian pensioner, is not welcoming of the 400 male asylum seekers mostly from Afghanistan.

Mohammad is a 26 year old Muslim asylum seeker detained inside the center. An unlikely friendship develops between Mary and Mohammad after her knitting club donates woolen beanies to the asylum seekers. Mary finds many of her prior beliefs are challenged as her relationship with Mohammad deepens.

Coming next week to the Keno Cinema (Melbourne), Chauvel Cinema (Sydney). Check out the Preview.

* The definition of a LEGAL asylum seeker from Article 1 of the Convention relating to the status of Refugees, as amended by the 1967 Protocol.