Walking on thin ICE

WEDNESDAY, April 10 — Ded Rranxburgai has been hiding from ICE in a six-story church with his sick wife for the past 16 months. He’s technically in sanctuary, but his situation could be likened to a personal Hell.

“Walking For Ded” is an eight minute short film directed by Scott Boehm and Peter Johnston. The story follows the Albanian immigrant, Rranxburgai, and his dichotomy between working in the US for 17 years and facing deportation—which would result in separation from his wife. The film is a response to the revival of the sanctuary movement due to the anti-immigration agenda of the Trump Administration, forcing many families like Rranxburgai’s to fall apart. As part of the Capital City Film Festival, the world premiere is scheduled for April 17 at 6 p.m. at the Fledge, the former Nazarene Church. The film will be directly followed by a feature-length documentary called DAWNLAND about the systemically forced removal of Native American children from their families over the last century.

A portion of “Walking Ded” was shot in Lansing last May to capture the 90-mile pilgrimage from Detroit to the Lansing capitol. The march was organized by members of the Central United Methodist Church in Detroit—where Rranxburgai and his wife live—to influence ICE to issue Rranxburgai a stay of removal and to highlight the destruction caused by the deportation of families. A year after the march, Rranxburgai is still considered a fugitive by ICE.

Watch the trailer here:

Film Screening, Press Conference and Online release

Friday, April 12

9:00-10:00 a.m.

Free

Central United Methodist Church

23 East Adams Street, Detroit, MI 48226

walkingforded.com

Festival World Premiere

Wednesday, April 17

6:00 p.m.

$5

The Fledge

1300 Eureka Street, Lansing, MI 48912

captialcityfilmfest.com