Johnnie Walker debuts refugee documentary

Diageo-owned blended Scotch Johnnie Walker has unveiled a new documentary film called Ode to Lesvos, which focuses on islanders on the front lines of the refugee crisis.

85-year-old islander Aimilia Kamvisi, who has been nominated for the 2016 Nobel Peace Prize

In 2015, the Greek island of Lesvos became the focal point of a migrant crisis that saw more than one million refugees journey to Europe to seek a better life. Of this number, almost half landed on Lesvos, having used any means possible to cross the Aegean Sea from Turkey.

Ode to Lesvos charts the spontaneous humanitarian response of the islanders who rescued people from the sea, gave shelter, and provided food and water.

Some of the villagers featured in the film including fishermen Stratis Valamios and Thanassis Marmarinos, and 85-year-old Aimilia Kamvisi, have been nominated for the 2016 Nobel Peace Prize to represent everyone who came to the aid of the refugees.

The documentary forms the brand’s latest Storyline initiative, which sees Johnnie Walker working with writers, directors, photographers and filmmakers from across the globe to share “inspiring stories of positivity and progress”.

As part of the launch of Ode to Lesvos, Johnnie Walker is supporting Mercy Corps, a global organisation that helps people around the world survive and thrive after conflict, crisis and natural disaster.

Since the Syrian war began, Mercy Corps has helped more than 7.7 million people affected by the crisis and expanded its programming to Greece and The Balkans in response to the migration crisis.

Simon O’Connell, executive director, Mercy Corps Europe, said: “The migration crisis continues to have a huge impact on the world in which we live. It is vitally important that we are able to tell these kinds of stories and raise awareness of the issues faced by those who are forcibly displaced and the communities who receive them.

“It is our hope that by working with Johnnie Walker to share the remarkable story of how the islanders of Lesvos responded to the plight of refugees last summer, we will inspire others to positive actions. There is a thread of humanity that links each and every one of us and when someone needs help, we must be present.”

Guy Escolme, Johnnie Walker global brand director, said: “The example of the islanders of Lesvos has inspired people all around the world. As a brand that fundamentally believes in telling inspirational stories we are proud and humbled to be able to document this important chapter in the evolving, larger story of the refugee crisis.

“We hope that people will be inspired by what they see in the Ode to Lesvos film and one way they can do that is by supporting the efforts of Mercy Corps, a leading organisation whose work through this crisis and many others around the world has brought the promise of hope and possibility to hundreds of thousands of displaced people.”

Ode to Lesvos was directed by Sundance Film Festival-winning director Talal Derki, himself a Syrian exile who was honoured at Sundance for his documentary on the war in his homeland – Return to Homs.

Derki said: “This was a deeply personal project, influenced by my life experience of the Syrian and Greek cultures. Following the events of last summer and knowing first-hand the despair migrants face as they seek refuge and a better future for their families, I felt compelled to tell the inspiring story of the response of the community of Lesvos.

“Their enduring positivity, readiness to help, and, above all, humanity remind the world that it is possible to make tomorrow better than today.”

View the documentary in full below.