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THE REFUGE - SYNOPSIS

Mahmoud and his friends Rezghar and Saman, all young Kurdish refugees, have fled political persecution and inevitable imprisonment in northern Iraq by smuggling themselves into England aboard a freight train. The refugees register for asylum and try to establish new lives in a new land. Rezghar begins to fall in love with Lana, Saman's cousin, but their future is threatened when Saman is detained as an illegal alien and sent to prison. Rezghar and Mahmoud, traumatised by these events and hunted by the immigration authorities, evade police capture but are chased into the church of Catholic priest, Father Michael.

Even though they are Muslims, Father Michael listens to their story and decides to protect them. He attempts to persuade the authorities an injustice is being done. The church becomes the focus of increasing media attention and Father Michael's faith is challenged. Racist thugs besiege the church and there is dissent amongst the congregation. He looks for renewed spiritual vigour but is eventually pressured into allowing the police access. This betrayal triggers Rezghar, already unbalanced by events, to take a member of the congregation hostage with disastrous consequences.