Hazara Town

‘Hazara Town’ deals with the ongoing persecution and marginalization of the Hazara community in Quetta, Pakistan, where nearly a million Hazaras now live in isolated ghettos. The film focuses on the plight of a family that, having already been displaced from Afghanistan, is now having to flee Pakistan even at the cost of family separation. It aims to raise awareness and educate audiences about the severity of their situation and to put a human face to the refugee issue, one that continues to dominate the media and influence politics worldwide.

By sharing the emotional and challenging journey of one displaced Hazara family, we aim to humanize the refugee issue and connect audiences with the struggles and difficult choices faced by millions of refugees world-wide who live under constant threat. Our goal is to foster empathy, educate individuals about the historical and present-day challenges of the Hazara people, and inspire meaningful dialogue on human rights and displacement.

Through strategic screenings, partnerships with advocacy groups, and through local and global distribution, we want to be part of the push for policy change, to help raise funds for humanitarian aid, and provide a platform for the voice of this marginalized community to be heard. Ultimately, we seek to contribute to a world where such injustices are no longer ignored and where displaced Hazara and other refugee families are met with more compassion, and with the opportunity for a safer future.

The considerable level of film festival fund support from major international film festival funds such as The Sundance Institute are testament to the potential of ‘Life In The Shadows’ to also be platformed at A list international film festivals, to promote acquisition by broadcasters and streamers and to further enhance the potential reach of the film and its humanitarian message.

For the Khadim Dai director, while this film is deeply personal and focuses on his own family’s journey it is also typical of the stories of so many other Hazara refugee families. Khadim has full access to the Hazara community both inside and outside of Pakistan, which allows him to authentically represent it’s experiences and struggles. Both Khadim Dai the Belgian based producer Ilyas Yourish are long time activists in this cause and well connected with Hazara organizations and communities in Europe, North America and Australia.

In an international environment where the refugee issue has become increasingly politicized and where refugees are too often stigmatized, we aim for our audience to listen to and engage with the film’s story on a personal and human level. In Australia, where there is a significant Hazara community, we will partner with refugee organizations already working in the field to help create opportunities for their supporters to share the film’s story with the wider community – to help build understanding of the refugee Journey and solidarity with those who are in the middle of it.