Between Borders, directed by Mark Freiburger, is inspired by the true story of the Petrosyan family as they seek refugee status in the United States following the fall of the USSR. Told through the lens of the family’s court hearing in Washington, D.C., we learn of the family’s journey through a series of flashbacks, narrated by each member’s time on the witness stand.
Their immigration lawyer, Kate Owens (Ana Ularu), is well-meaning but overworked, and the government’s attorney, Carrie Whitlow (Elizabeth Mitchell), is detached but ruthless. These two forces work well together to represent the differing opinions viewers may have as they watch the film, and ultimately keep the movie from getting too preachy or sentimental.
The film is produced by StoryLight Productions and Nook Lane Entertainment, which are best known for making films with religious themes. The movie at times falls into delivering awkward and overly clear statements of belief and overdramatic religious cliches, as faith-based movies often do. However, I was genuinely impressed with the way the story handled hot-button cultural issues of today like immigration and proselytization with incredible nuance and thoughtfulness.
Anyone who goes into this film with an open mind will have their beliefs about refugees and immigrants, religion and evangelism, and capitalism and communism gently challenged. But these challenges aren’t presented in a combative way. They’re presented in a human way—through the story of the Petrosyan family.
As Armenians living in Azerbaijan, the Petrosyan family has always lived with a complicated sense of “home.” They’re a generally unwanted ethnic minority who has lived in Azerbaijan for decades, face sporadic flare-ups of racism, yet believe in the brotherhood of the USSR to support their claim of making Azerbaijan home. When the USSR falls in 1989, any semblance of safety the Petrosyan family had is shattered. Ivan (Patrick Sabongui), Violetta (Elizabeth Tabish), and their two daughters flee to Russia where they encounter more xenophobia, poverty, and violence.
Eventually, the family finds acceptance within a local church community. The Petrosyans then travel to the U.S. to share their story with a sister church in America. There, they apply for asylum and overstay their visa. This is how we meet them in the courtroom—with expired visas, surrounded by their supportive church family.
Patrick Sabongui and Elizabeth Tabish both deliver subtle yet emotional performances as two parents trying to preserve their family and their beliefs while their world falls apart. Anyone who is familiar with Elizabeth Tabish’s work in The Chosen or The Shift will appreciate how she showcases different skills in Between Borders, like playing a romantic interest and being a protective mother.
While the Petrosyan family’s real story from Azerbaijan to West Virginia actually took 20 years to complete, it is condensed to two years for the sake of the film. While this is the right choice from a plot-development perspective, it does take away from the believability of the story a bit, especially considering how much the family’s worldview and beliefs change in such a short time.
Overall, this film is a delight. It’s a true story that pays honor to its subjects and bravely takes on relevant cultural themes with honesty and nuance. If you can get past a few clunky lines and overly emotional appeals to faith, you’ll be rewarded.
Between Borders is now streaming on Hoopla and the Angel network.
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