Between Borders

Katie Flodder reviews a faith-filled drama based on the true story of a refugee family fleeing genocide and relentless persecution.

Between Borders does a perfect job of toeing the delicate line between immersing the audience in the character’s experience without traumatizing them. It’s the type of cinema that makes you linger in your chair even after the credits have started rolling. Director Mark Freiburger offers viewers a first-row seat to the Petrosyan family’s harrowing journey from the crumbling Soviet Union in search of a safe place in the world to call home — all the while God pursues them. The Chosen’s Elizabeth Tabish and The Flash’s Patrick Sabongui bring depth and vulnerability to their roles as Violetta and Ivan Petrosyan.

Between Borders movie poster

“Were You or Your Family Ever Victims of Direct Acts of Violence?”

The film shifts between flashbacks of their time in Azerbaijan and Russia and their present-day trial as the family petitions for asylum in the United States. The film opens in the courtroom with a pointed question from opposing counselor Carrie Whitlow (Elizabeth Mitchell) directed to Ivan Petrosyan: “Where you or your family ever victims of direct acts of violence?” His eyes snap up to meet hers as a look of dread crosses his face and viewers are transported to a horrific memory back in their hometown of Baku, Azerbaijan. At this point, tensions in Baku have reached a contemptuous boiling point and the targeted ethnic cleansing of Armenians is starting to rear its ugly head.

The Petrosyan family could be any of us if we had been born into a country riddled with conflict. Viewers see a glimpse of their content pre-conflict lives — they had jobs (Ivan was a literal rocket scientist), community and a cozy home with family nearby. The film makes quick work of settling viewers in so they become a part of the family, traveling in step with the Petrosyans as they navigate genocide and discrimination in not one, but two countries.

They are granted refugee status in Russia, only to again encounter relentless discrimination — barred from making a living and trapped in a cycle of fear and harassment. Without resorting to gratuitous violence, the film masterfully conveys the suffocating menace of their situation. Through a talented cast and Freiburger’s direction, a sense of looming dread permeates every scene, making it unmistakably clear that the Petrosyans are playing with fire by staying. The threat is palpable, and the audience is left with no doubt about the devastating consequences should they remain in either country.

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Violence and Suffering: “When Is It Enough?”

Viewers viscerally experience Violetta’s anguish and shame as she is forced to repeat and internalize the demeaning phrase, “I am quieter than water and lower than grass,” just to secure a low-paying job. Witnessing the suffering caused by the stripping of a person’s dignity in service of discrimination leads viewers to ponder the question posed by the judge (Michael Paul Chan) presiding over the Petrosyan’s asylum case, “When is it enough?” At what point can a family finally be permitted to live, to love, to earn a living, to be educated and to simply exist without constant persecution?

Although we fully experience the weight of this family’s difficult journey, this movie is not too heavy to pick up. The thread of hope is stubbornly and beautifully woven throughout the movie even as an endless string of challenges confront the family. God is with them the whole time—He is there in the Baku neighbor that saves the family from would-be assassins, and He is there in the small Russian church that envelope them with love and community. The formerly Communist Petrosyans embrace God for the first time in the rubble of their shattered lives.

Bottom Line: Share This Movie with Your Family

Between Borders would be an ideal movie for families with older children to watch together. It can be difficult to talk to our kids about the horrors others face across the globe — sometimes words aren’t sufficient. Although gore and direct violence is not shown, some scenes of implied violence make this movie too intense for young viewers. This is an important film to ignite important conversations with your family about difficult, but crucial topics. The movie does an excellent job of helping the viewer experience a very painful reality for many across the globe, while infusing the story with the hope of Jesus.

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