Abdul is a short film created for Monash Health in Dandenong to promote their free health service for refugees and asylum seekers.
Monash Refugee Health and Well-being is a health centre in Dandenong that provides free health care to Australia’s newest arrivals. They needed a video to raise awareness for their services for refugees and asylum seekers in Greater Dandenong.
The audience was complex; people from different cultures, different languages, and some with no english. Many with trauma and minimal trust in the system. While we were conceptualising the solution, the creative team met a beneficiary of their program: Abdul Razaaq. Abdul had a common story amoung the refugee community and was a natural leader, wanting to share his message of hope.
Thus was born the short film Abdul.
These two and a half minutes went on to have a large impact for Monash Health and Abdul Razaaq. The film screened at the Reel Health film festival in 2016, and on the big screen in Dandenong’s harmony square in 2017. It continues to be screened at work meetings, community events, speaking engagements and conferences at the Hospital. It is essential viewing for staff and volunteer inductions at Monash Health Community. It also introduced Abdul in person at the Strategic Summit for People Seeking Asylum at Risk of Destitution at City of Greater Civic Centre.
There’s no doubt Abdul the film has deeply impacted over a thousand people with the simple message that seeking asylum does not define a person, and they can make a significant contribution to our Australian community.
- Rob Koch, Monash Health
The story continues...
Abdul continues to advocate for hope, peace and harmony, and has since founded a not-for-profit: All Nations Social Cricket. This social-sports organisation tackles the poor mental health of people living in distress. We gave Abdul a hand spreading his message as far as possible with a short video about his organisation. The ASRC are doing the same. They even put his face on a tram!
CREDITS
Produced for Monash Health Refugee Health and Wellbeing
Production company: Carben Creative
Creative concept: Ben McEwing
CREW
Producer / 1AD: Jess O'Farrell
Writer / Director: Ben McEwing
Director of photography: Shaun Herbsertson
Production Designer: Jessie Obien
Gaffer / 1AC: Adam Bennett
Sound recordist: Tim McCormick
Editor: Chanel Tattenbach
Production assistant: Laura Apelt
Stills: Ashkan Amini
CAST
Abdul Razzaq & Lubna Abdul Razzaq
Cricket Players
Kazim Kazim, Anantharaj Subramaniam, Sai Prashanthan Candiah, Sasikumar Selvam, Amirtharaj Amirthanathar, Amit Parmar, Niranga Kularachchi, Sreedharan Sathiamoorthy
THANK YOU
Abdul & Lubna, Andrew Block, Jazqui McBride, Rob Koch, Dr Mark Timlin, Shegofa Zahidi, Brittany Elkins, Monash Health, City of Greater Dandenong, Greg Chappel Cricket Centre.
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