Refuge

Home is the starting place of love, hope, and dreams. Without it, we’re lost.

There are 25 million refugees in the world – people displaced by disaster -- people who left because staying was worse than leaving everything familiar behind. “No one leaves home,” said Warsan Shire, “unless home is the mouth of a shark.”

Most of us are descendants of refugees. We’ve all felt misplaced at one time or another. “It is the obligation of every person born in a safer room to open the door when someone in danger knocks,” wrote Dina Nayeri.

Sooner or later, each of us will have to count on the kindness and mercy of strangers. So, let’s not be strangers to those who seek refuge.

  • Jonathan Sprout
    Director
    Grammy Nomination
  • Rodney Whittenberg
    Director
    co-producer of Caregivers, Emmy Award winner
  • Jonathan Sprout
    Writer
    Grammy Nomination
  • Jonathan Sprout
    Producer
    Grammy Nomination
  • Double Rainbow Studio
    Key Cast
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Experimental, Music Video, Short
  • Runtime:
    6 minutes 21 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    December 1, 2019
  • Production Budget:
    4,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Independent Shorts Awards
    Los Angeles
    United States
    Best First Time Director
  • Independent Shorts Awards
    Los Angeles
    United States
    Best Music Video
Director Biography - Jonathan Sprout, Rodney Whittenberg

JONATHAN SPROUT
Since his first professional appearance in 1972, Jonathan Sprout has recorded 12 albums, performed more than 6,500 concerts (including 5,500 children’s concerts), and taught more than 800 songwriting workshops throughout the United States. His songs have appeared on several internationally released compilation albums.

Jonathan’s seventh release, American Heroes, won critical acclaim for its groundbreaking contribution to the field of educational children’s music in 1996. Three American Heroes sequels followed in 2000, 2009, and 2014. The series has earned a remarkable 26 national awards, including a GRAMMY® nomination for Best Children’s Album, several NAPPA Awards, several Parents’ Choice awards, two Film Advisory Board of Excellence awards, a Family Choice Award™, Dr. Toy One of the 10 Best Audio/Video/CD/DVDs, Academics' Choice Award, KIDS FIRST! Award, Tillywig Brainchild Award, Dove Foundation Seal, Mom's Choice Awards® Gold, Creative Child Magazine Award, Santa’s Choice Award, National Parenting Center Award, and a Global Music Award Bronze Medal.

Inspired by the heroes he has been writing, performing and recording about for more than 20 years, Jonathan founded

Force For Good in 2016. Force For Good provides uplifting compositions and character-driven messages to unify, inspire, and energize people to engage in responsible civic duties. Force For Good’s song videos compassionately and intelligently address important issues like sensible gun control, immigration reform, solar and wind energy, hunger and homelessness, celebrating and protecting the environment, and many others.

RODNEY WHITTENBERG
Rodney Whittenberg is an Emmy Award winning composer and Emmy-nominated filmmaker for Outstanding Documentary. From a young age he’s had four passions: music/sound, film/television, technology, and education. Rodney’s deep sense of faith has called him on a lifelong quest to integrate these passions into his art. In his late 20s he directed the non-profit Banner Project, an educational anti-drug program that emphasized nonviolence, and witnessed the power of music and arts to heal and transform communities.

In the early 1990s, Rodney created Melodyvision, a production and consulting company, to serve as a platform for his original audio and visual creations and a vehicle to help others achieve their artistic visions. In 2016, he produced We Stood Up, an audio CD of original songs, poetry and interviews with civil rights leaders. In 2018, he co-produced Caregivers, a film about the people who help the helpers that was nominated for an Outstanding Documentary Emmy.

From his numerous projects as a children’s music producer and composer to his award winning Voices of Ages, a feature documentary about the first inter-generational choir, Rodney makes art to heal, empower, and transform.

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Director Statement

Home is the starting place of love, hope, and dreams. Without it, we’re lost.

There are 25 million refugees in the world. (PBS News Hour 3/23/2020) – people displaced by disaster -- people who left because staying was worse than leaving everything familiar behind. “No one leaves home,” said Warsan Shire, “unless home is the mouth of a shark.”

Most of us are descendants of refugees. We’ve all felt misplaced at one time or another. “It is the obligation of every person born in a safer room to open the door when someone in danger knocks,” wrote Dina Nayeri.

Sooner or later, each of us will have to count on the kindness and mercy of strangers. So, let’s not be strangers to those who seek refuge.