SPOTLIGHT
Away Yet Awake-An Immigrant Experience

“I wanted to make a film that told the stories of our respective journeys as refugees”

Joyeuse Muhorakeye, Director and Rwandan Refugee

Two of the crew members, Joyeuse Muhorakeye and Enock Sadiki, are both refugees, from Rwanda and Uganda respectively. During ideation sessions they had suggested exploring the topic of “the immigrant experience”.

The writers in the crew, Owen Cummings and Sydney Robinson, suggested motion poetry as a visual treatment, which then led to a “composite poem”, written by several other refugee poets who were recruited into the project.

Once the treatment and production plan were developed, the 2-day production got underway, using one of Fourthwall’s 4K Blackmagic cameras.

To date, the film has won numerous festival awards. It has also been shown in numerous communities around the city as part of the Aiken High School refugee welcome campaign.

The crew for Away Yet Awake was hired through the City of Cincinnati Youth to Work program, co-sponsored by Artworks and the Cincinnati Recreation Commission.

SPOTLIGHT
Xander Dean Wynn-In My Words.

“I wanted to inspire kids like me…to show them that anything is possible”

Xander Wynn, CEO XWynn Films

To the little kid from a traumatic background with little to no guidance. The kid who was suspended from school on a weekly basis. The kid who didn’t know what he wanted out of life. The kid who spent countless nights sleeping in hospital rooms. The kid who cried big tears wondering where his father went. The kid who longed for love and attention. The kid who just wanted to be happy. The kid who had no male figure growing up. The kid who’s house got broken into while home alone. The kid who saw shootings from his balcony. The kid who just wanted to be great. 

Spoiler alert, the kid is all grown up now. That kid GRADUATED FROM HIGH SCHOOL. That kid will be the FIRST to go to COLLEGE. That kid started a business at 16. That kid is genuinely happy. That kid is me, Xander Dean Wynn.

SPOTLIGHT
Away Yet Awake-An Immigrant Experience

“I wanted to make a film that told the stories of our respective journeys as refugees”

Joyeuse Muhorakeye, Director and Rwandan Refugee

Two of the crew members, Joyeuse Muhorakeye and Enock Sadiki, are both refugees, from Rwanda and Uganda respectively. During ideation sessions they had suggested exploring the topic of “the immigrant experience”.

The writers in the crew, Owen Cummings and Sydney Robinson, suggested motion poetry as a visual treatment, which then led to a “composite poem”, written by several other refugee poets who were recruited into the project.

Once the treatment and production plan were developed, the 2-day production got underway, using one of Fourthwall’s 4K Blackmagic cameras.

To date, the film has won numerous festival awards. It has also been shown in numerous communities around the city as part of the Aiken High School refugee welcome campaign.

The crew for Away Yet Awake was hired through the City of Cincinnati Youth to Work program, co-sponsored by Artworks and the Cincinnati Recreation Commission.