Cate Blanchett and other big-name movie stars are speaking out about the plight of refugees in a stark video that asks viewers to imagine what they’d do if they had to flee war.
The Oscar-winning actress and United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees goodwill ambassador headlines the video released Monday by the agency.
The video is based on a rhythmic poem entitled What They Took With Them by Jenifer Toksvig, inspired by firsthand testimony from refugees.
Over an opening image of a helicopter dropping bombs and an explosion, a voice asks: “If you had to flee your home, what would you take?”
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Blanchett and actors including Keira Knightley, Stanley Tucci, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Kit Harington and Jesse Eisenberg then rattle off items that fleeing refugees often take with them, such as phones, food, water, money, and identity papers.
The video also features actors Peter Capaldi, Douglas Booth, Juliet Stevenson and author Neil Gaiman.
The stars hope to draw attention to the UN Refugee Agency’s campaign asking governments to ensure all refugee children can go to school.
The film of What They Took With Them premiered exclusively on Facebook.
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