MOLLY & MOBARAK
2003/ 87MIN
A young refugee from Afghanistan Mobarak Tahiri finds work in a small Australian country town and falls in love with local girl Molly.
Mobarak is one of 3,500 illegal boat people from the Hazara ethnic minority who arrived on the coast of Northern Australia between 1999 and 2001 fleeing persecution from the Taliban. After spending months in detention most Hazaras were found to be genuine refugees and released on 3-year Temporary Protection Visas.
At the start of 2002 a group of refugees, one of whom is Mobarak, arrive in Young, a small town 4 hours drive from Sydney. Unlike most Australian country towns, Young is thriving. The local meat-works is expanding its business and desperately short of workers.
STILLS
MY DIRECTOR’S NOTES
I decided that my next film was going to be about the refugee experience. Refugees started to arrive by boat in 1991, and this was 2001. The government had built detention centres. That’s where the people were incarcerated to have their claims to asylum assessed. The majority were assessed as genuine refugees. They had all been given 3-year Temporary Protection Visas (TPV’s) which allowed them to live and work anywhere in Australia. However the TPV meant they couldn’t sponsor their families here, and they were ineligible for a wide range of benefits, including access to English classes. Technically they were second class citizens.
resources
Molly & Mobarak SYNOPSIS
Molly & Mobarak STUDY GUIDE
Molly & Mobarak PRODUCTION NOTES
Molly & Mobarak FLYER