Ai Weiwei & Amazon Dissect the Global Refugee Crisis in Documentary 'Human Flow'

Amazon Studios and renowned Chinese artist Ai Weiwei shine the spotlight on the global refugee crisis for a new documentary known as Human Flow. Set to hit theaters on October 13, Human Flow is being introduced to worldwide audiences today with the unveiling of its lead trailer. The new vignette for Amazon Studios and Ai Weiwei’s joint cinematic venture focuses on an expansive journey across 23 countries, telling the stories of the refugees currently fueling an intense international struggle. Having previously received recognition for his human rights work, Ai Weiwei is the ideal storyteller for Amazon Studios’ exploration of the refugee crisis.

“Human Flow is a witness to its subjects and their desperate search for safety, shelter and justice,” reads the film and trailer’s official description. “From teeming refugee camps to perilous ocean crossings to barbed-wire borders; from dislocation and disillusionment to courage, endurance and adaptation; from the haunting lure of lives left behind to the unknown potential of the future. Human Flow comes at a crucial time when tolerance, compassion and trust are needed more than ever. This visceral work of cinema is a testament to the unassailable human spirit and poses one of the questions that will define this century: Will our global society emerge from fear, isolation, and self-interest and choose a path of openness, freedom, and respect for humanity?”

Directed by Ai Weiwei, Human Flow comes to us courtesy of producers Chin-chin Yap, Heino Deckert, AC Films’ Andy Cohen and Participant Media’s pairing of Jeff Skoll and Diane Weyermann. You can view the new trailer for the film above, and stay tuned for more clips of the movie; head on over to the official Human Flow website to learn more.

Earlier today, we reported on another important artistic work from Ai Weiwei, “Good Fences Make Good Neighbors.”