A hard-hitting documentary on the plight of refugees and boat people will be featured in a free showing at the Clink Theatre this Sunday.

Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea is an hour-long documentary exploring what makes people make the decision to risk their lives by fleeing their countries to attempt to make safe Australian shores.

The Clink’s Claire Tierney said the documentary, which featured beautiful cinematography, was on a national tour of regional playhouses and after hearing an interview on local radio, was determined to have it shown here. Evidently, The Clink will be the last of the doco’s 95 screenings around the country.

“It’s incredible that in Queensland and the Douglas region we live on the shores of such beauty and not very far north of us in Indonesia are asylum seekers suffering so horrendously,” she said.

“The documentary makers are some of the first people to have been let into these refugee camps – some of the people have been in there 15 years or more, meaning for a teenager, that’s been their whole life spent in a refugee camp.

“Their crime: hoping not to be killed. They’ve lost so many family members in their home countries and have had to make the choice to stay and die, or leave the rest of their family behind and go.”

Ms Tierney said she felt it was important all Australians saw the documentary.
“Whether you’re left, right, agree, disagree - people need to see this,” she said.

“You can read a story about the issue that has been written by one person, or see a pic that has been taken out of context, but when you see this feature, you realise this is real people we’re dealing with.

“We couldn’t imagine having to leave our homes for good; it would break my heart if I had to leave Mossman for good.”

Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea will feature at The Clink this Easter Sunday, March 31 between 5.30pm and 6.30pm. Admission is free.

See a preview here:  http://vimeo.com/6328019