See Through the Eyes of a Refugee in Amnesty's Harrowing Campaign

Not a day goes by, it seems, when we don't see, hear, or read heartbreaking reports of refugees fleeing war-torn countries for a better life in Europe. But for the average person - warm, dry, with a roof over their heads, a family, a fridge full of food - it's hard to truly comprehend the horror of the situation through a TV screen or a newspaper article.

But what if you could actually experience the raw terror of a missile attack or the heartbreak of losing a sibling through the power of suggestion? In a bid to shed light on the dangerous journeys refugees are forced to make on a daily basis, Amnesty International and TBWANEBOKO turned to hypnosis, literally putting ordinary people in the shoes of a real-life refugee, and documenting the results in a powerful film. 

Under the guidance of a professional hypnotherapist, five participants from the Netherlands and Belgium were brought into a state of hypnosis, during which they experienced the journey of 29-year-old Marwa from Syria, as she made her way to safety to the Netherlands.   

Whatever your views on hypnosis, the film makes for compelling viewing, and the reaction of the participants is genuinely shocking.  In response to the hynotherapist's narrative, they're seen huddling under their chairs to escape gunfire and physically retching from the rotten food at the refugee camps. In one of the most most spine-chilling scenes, they emerge from the rubble of a bombed-out house to search for their young brother and sister, screaming and crying when they find only scraps of clothing, cuddly toys, and - most harrowing of all - body parts. 

At the end of the film, the participants are woken up and shown footage of their experience, before being introduced to Marwa, reminding them that a real person actually went through the terrible events they imagined. 

As well as the main documentary film, the campaign includes a behind the scenes film [below] exploring the experience of being hypnotised in more depth.  

“For most people, the hardship inflicted on refugees on their way to safety is hard to imagine. When people really experience what it is like to be forced to flee, this can create understanding and could fundamentally change the way we speak about refugees,” said Eduard Nazarski, executive director of Amnesty International Netherlands.