Made in World Refugee Year (1959/60) and intended for screening in embassies across the globe, Return to Life's opening section draws attention to Britain's history as a haven for refugees. The bulk of the film, however, explores the feelings of one refugee family, newly arrived in the UK, as it accustoms itself to a new homeland. A deeply compassionate and sensitive film, Return to Life crosses the boundaries of documentary and fiction by using real, but unrelated, refugees to play the central characters.
Follow the link In The Classroom at the top of this page for teaching suggestions linked to History and Citizenship. In Focus Questions you'll find suggestions for questions to focus students attention whilst watching the film, which will also help to develop their understanding of film language.
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1. The refugees arrive (1:19)
