The Art of Flight

The Art of Flight is the story of three people – a refugee from southern Sudan, a human rights activist from northern Sudan and an American journalist in self-imposed exile – all living in Cairo. For very different reasons, the trio has found themselves struggling to survive in Egypt – a U.S. backed dictatorship that has reluctantly become their home. The refugee, Jere Maluk, fled his war-ravaged home in Juba, Sudan to seek refugee protection from UNHCR. Instead, he and his family, like the tens of thousands of Sudanese refugees in Cairo, are learning to cope with racism, gang violence and poverty as second-class residents. They navigate through a maze of bureaucratic mismanagement at UNHCR for the slim chance of getting resettled to America. Magda, a middle-aged human rights activist, has elected not to apply for refugee status because she is convinced she will one day return to a peaceful Sudan. Her days are spent trying to empower refugees and teach them self-reliance through her unique non-profit – the Ma’an Center. Davin, a mediocre travel journalist, decides to embark on a story of substance after witnessing abuse of refugees around Cairo. He travels to Sudan to visit the war-torn Nuba Mountains and trace the 1,600-kilometer migration route to Cairo. Afterwards, he meets Jere and Magda, along with other Sudanese playing the game of asylum, and begins to craft a story about their plight. Meanwhile, he confronts apathetic Western editors, risks arrest by Egyptian authorities and presses UNHCR on its policies to get their story told. The film explores all three characters relationships as they cross paths for a fleeting moment in time. The film also features an original soundtrack by Al-Khafiyeen, a musical ensemble of refugees whose members keep changing as people move on. The film delves deep into questions about the nature of charity, the consequences of American empire and the price of transience.