A local filmmaker has released a mini documentary titled “A Resettlement Story”, which follows the YMCA Newcomer Connections team as they resettled roughly 450 Syrian refugees in only four months.
Jordan Mattie is originally from Antigonish, Nova Scotia, but fell in love with Saint John after he moved here four years ago.
Mattie recorded the process of the Syrian refugees arriving in Saint John and the amount of volunteers that stepped up to form welcome teams.
He calls the experience “amazing”, and says it was encouraging to see so many people working together to achieve the same goal.
Mattie says he was approached about documenting the process of resettling Syrian refugees and ended up with the mini documentary, which is just under 23 minutes long.
The filming process took roughly five months.
Footage features Syrian refugees arriving in Saint John and includes the steps that were taken to make them feel comfortable and welcome in the city.
The documentary also includes interviews with volunteers and staff at the YMCA and shows Saint John is not afraid to step up and help when it matters most.
You can hear the entire interview with Jordan Mattie below. It was featured on this week’s Pulse NB.
