CBC and NFB produce the best in informative documentaries and news reports that probe deeper into subjects that matter most to Canadians. The flood of Syrian refugees coming to Canada is a recent concern for Canadians. This blog post lists documentaries that provide a thoughtful investigation what it means to be a refugee (Syrian or otherwise).

CURIO: Syrian Refugee Crisis: Lessons from Vietnamese Boat People 

CURIO: Syrian Refugee Crisis: Lessons from Vietnamese Boat People

As desperate migrants from the Middle East and Africa make their way across Europe, many in Canada are reminded of another refugee crisis that hit close to home. In the late ’70s and early ’80s, Canada took in 60,000 refugees, at the time often called the “Vietnamese boat people.” CBC reporter Judy Trinh was four years old when her family fled from Vietnam.

CURIO: The Journey from Syria to Canada 

CURIO: The Journey from Syria to Canada

Danny Ramadan fled war-torn Syria in 2011 and eventually came to Vancouver in September 2014.

NFB: Tree That Remembers

NFB: Tree That Remembers

In 1992 a young Iranian student hanged himself on the outskirts of a small Ontario town. Having escaped the Ayatollah’s regime and found a new home in Canada, he could not escape his past. In this film, Masoud Raouf documents the experiences of Iranian-Canadians – former political prisoners like himself – who were active in the Iranian democratic movement and continue to struggle with the past.

NFB: Who Gets In? 

NFB: Who Gets In?

Explores the many questions raised by Canada’s immigration policy in the face of one of the world’s largest immigration movements. Shot in 1988 in Africa, Canada and Hong Kong, the film reveals first-hand what Canadian immigration officials are looking for in potential new Canadians, and the economic, social and political priorities orienting their choices.