Documentary shares story of racism and redemption: 5 questions with 'Refuge' producer

Mary Beth Minnis is bringing a story of hope — and another chance at "Refuge" — to her home state.

The film producer and Edmond native will be back in Oklahoma Oct. 25 for a 6:30 p.m. encore screening of one of her latest projects, the documentary "Refuge," at Oklahoma City's historic Yale Theater. Admission to the screening is free with a RSVP.

A compelling story of racism and redemption in the America South, "Refuge" was a crowd favorite at the 22nd Annual deadCenter Film Festival back in June, and deadCenter is presenting the OKC encore showing with Minnis, an executive producer on the film, as special guest.

"I know the heartbeat of Oklahoma, being born and raised here, and I know the quality of people. And I also know the reality of what this state has faced and the challenges that friends of mine have experienced on both sides of the aisle, learning to listen to one another, learning to really solve problems," the Austin, Texas-based producer told The Oklahoman during the deadCenter Film Festival.

"I want to share this with Oklahoma audiences because I want people to get out of their comfort zones and to build a relationship with someone who believes differently than they do. I think it enriches people's lives."

Also an executive producer on "Jump Shot: The Kenny Sailors Story," which won the best documentary prize at deadCenter 2019 and is now on iTunes, Minnis spoke with The Oklahoman about the uplifting story of "Refuge," her love for documentaries and more:

1. Can you give people an insight into what 'Refuge' is about?

"'Refuge' is about two men and their friendship and their journey to get to know one another. One, his name is Dr. Heval Kelli, and he's a Kurdish Syrian Muslim refugee who ends up becoming a cardiologist.

"And the other man is named Chris Buckley, and he served in our U.S. armed forces in Iraq and Afghanistan. When he returned after his tour overseas, he became addicted to drugs and also joined the Ku Klux Klan. He was looking for a brotherhood and a purpose — and it almost destroyed his family.

"His wife, Melissa Buckley ... who's really the hero of our film, stood up to her husband and said, 'It's either the Klan or our family.' And he chose his family.

"On his journey to heal from hate, he needed to build a relationship with a Muslim man, and you get to see — in real time — Chris Buckley and Heval Kelli have courage to learn to trust and to build a relationship with one another."

2. How did you get involved with this specific project?

"Erin Bernhardt is the visionary behind this film, and she brought along Din Blankenship. And together, they directed and produced this documentary. I worked with Erin before on (the documentary) 'Imba Means Sing,' which is about the African Children's Choir.

"When she came to me, she said, 'I'm a graduate of the University of Virginia, and the Charlottesville riots on my campus were devastating. And I want to tell us a story that gives people hope of what's possible.'

"She had been volunteering in Clarkston, Georgia, which is 15 minutes outside of Atlanta, and she'd been working with refugees there. She was like, 'They've learned to live together — all of these different cultures and ethnicities, religions and languages. I want to tell that story.' And she invited me to go on that journey with her.

"As we were following Dr. Heval Kelli, he became introduced to Chris Buckley, and that really changed the trajectory of her documentary."

3. Can you tell me where the film has been shown so far and what you have in store?

"We premiered the documentary in New York City at DOC NYC, and we've gone on to premiere it in various places like the Boulder Film Festival, Mountainfilm (and) recently, the Cleveland International Film Festival. And the Atlanta Film Festival, we were awarded Best in Georgia — which means we're now Academy Award eligible — and we're thrilled.

"Because I'm from Oklahoma, I said, 'Please, can we submit to deadCenter. I want to bring this film to Oklahomans.' ... We also have a robust impact campaign, where we want to take the film to youth and to prisons, different places where it will bring hope to people."

4. What do you love about doing documentaries?

"What I love about documentaries is you get to tell authentic stories of people that, a lot of times, their stories are not told. And I love telling stories of hope in the most horrific of situations.

"In the case of 'Refuge,' you get to see happen what I think we all dream for our country: We get to see two people who, one person hated the other at one point, and yet they found a way to become friends and to listen to one another. The primary thing people say when they leave the theater after they see it is that they have hope — hope for our country that we can come back together, if, little by little, we build relationships and learn to listen."

5. Do you have other projects that you're working on?

"I was able to show 'Juneteenth: Faith and Freedom,' which is a film that I worked on, to the 'grandmother of Juneteenth,' 2022 Nobel Peace Prize (nominee) Ms. Opal Lee. She is who helped get it to become a federal holiday. ... Many people outside of Texas don't know the history of what is Juneteenth. Why is it celebrated? Why is it something that all Americans need to celebrate and should celebrate?

"So, we hope that this film will do that: It gives you the history of chattel slavery, and it gives you the history of Juneteenth. June 19, 1865, is when the last enslaved people in chattel slavery in the United States were freed.

"As Ms. Opal Lee said, 'None of us are free until all of us are free.' And she recommends — and I agree with her — that all Americans should celebrate freedom from the 19th of June to the Fourth of July. ... 'Juneteenth: Faith and Freedom' is available on YouTube right now. You can see the trailer there, and you can see the entire film."

'REFUGE' OKC ENCORE SCREENING

When: 6:30 p.m. Oct. 25.

Where: Yale Theater, 227 SW 25.

Information: https://www.theyaleokc.com/events.

RSVP: https://www.deadcenterfilm.org/events.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: 5 questions with an Oklahoma producer on the hopeful film 'Refuge'