The first, The Walk, follows Little Amal’s journey from the Syrian border in Turkey across Europe. Amal is the 12 foot puppet of a 10 year old Syrian refugee child, created by Handspring Puppet Company with whom the CHR has had many creative partnerships, and animated by CHR artists in residence, the Ukwanda Puppetry and Design Arts Collective, who are currently in Europe with The Herds.
In The Walk, Amal embarks on a transformative 8,000-kilometer journey through Turkey, the Middle East, and Europe, raising awareness of the struggles faced by millions of displaced children seeking refuge. Interwoven with the voice of Asil, a refugee child trapped in a Turkish childcare facility, Amal’s journey mirrors a humanitarian crisis that transcends borders. Guided by two puppeteers, Fidaa and Mouaiad, whose own experiences as refugees from Palestine and Syria bring Amal to life, the film navigates the urgent global refugee crisis through intimate personal stories. As she moves across borders, Amal reflects on the complexities of the refugee identity, capturing both the warmth of human connection and the isolation so often endured. With over 14 million refugee children worldwide, The Walk honors their stories, offering a poignant exploration of resilience, strength and dignity, woven within the hopes carried by those forced to leave everything behind.
The second, The Shadow Scholars, takes an in-depth look at the contract-cheating industry, which involves tens of millions of students around the world submitting essays provided by online academic writing services—with ‘clients’ including people studying science and medicine at some of global academic’s most prestigious institutions. Due to its high level of education and the poor prospects for its graduates both in and outside the country, Kenya has become the world leader in supplying expertly written papers, at speed, to university students around the world, particularly in the United States. In exposing the scope and scale of contract cheating, the film reveals the broader colonialism and racism that continues to keep gifted Kenyans from competing on an equal playing field with graduates from the richer countries. Featuring interviews with writers, the students who use their services, and members of the global academic communities—including the revered Kenyan writer Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o—The Shadow Scholars is a thought-provoking and eye-opening film.