Land and identity at the sharpening edge of American discontent


The Film

Refuge looks at the nature of protest and the extraordinary and at times extreme measures some take to "solve" problems. The spotlight is on a tiny frontier community in southeast Oregon, placed in the crosshairs when anti-government activist Ammon Bundy declares he's making a "hard stand" and leads an armed occupation of Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. As the occupation plays out, the filmmakers employ unparalleled access to explore conflicts over land and identity here and across a fragmented national landscape. Complex, unsettling, and profoundly human, Refuge depicts a cautionary tale and a critical point of hope in a time of historic American distress.

 
 

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Comments About Refuge

 
Wow! You have us hooked! The series is so much more than the refuge occupation — that’s just the beginning of this incredible journey.
— JULIE BRYANT & BILL ROACH -Founders, PLAYA Arts and Sciences Residency Program
I forgot how much it hurt. I am holding back tears. And the rumblings are still there given the situation this nation is in. THANK YOU!
— SUZANNE SETTLE, Harney County Sheriff's Dispatch Manager
I am reminded of Wild, Wild Country in the approach you have taken…a deep dig into the Bundy occupation as a moment not only in high desert history but with national and international ramifications. The occupation was a cautionary tale as to what would unfold in that year’s election (2016) and beyond.
— ELLEN WATERSTON, Oregon Poet Laureate
We have no sense of political bias which is remarkable considering the circumstances of the story and current events. The point of Refuge is to highlight that peaceful and civil discourse, in the broader context of a democratic society, is where we always need to land...no matter what.
— BRIDGET STEARNS, Dover, New Hampshire
The first three episodes left me breathless and shaking.
— LINDSAY WILCOX, Harney County, Oregon
 
I’m walking inside a large, shadowed cavern where potential routes present themselves, and small clues catch my attention; tell me I’m on the right route … signal me to continue onward. Plus, the entire cast in Refuge is authentic, comfortable in their skins, knowledgeable in their stories, and deeply honest. They are people you’d like to know; conversations you’d like to sit in on. Moments of life that you’re sorry you missed.
— JAN COLEMAN, Museum Exhibit Planner & Designer, Portland
...at the edge of my seat. What happens next? Where’s episode 4?
— HELEN DALTOSO, Director of Programs, Regional Arts and Culture Council, Portland
These were extraordinarily emotional times…and the tenor of that from the inside is what makes this film a real standout.
— DIANE RAPAPORT -Author, Harney County Resident
We can change perspectives and practices that move from the polarization and fracturing of society to building a more equitable and respectful community. This theme runs consistently through Refuge.
— DAVID LESLIE -Director, Rothko Chapel, Houston
 
 

 

We’d also like to hear your first-hand accounts of the Malheur refuge occupation and its aftermath. Contact us: sue(at)hareinthegate.com or richard(at)hareinthegate.com