Ultimate Citizens
AP
The documentary Ultimate Citizens follows elementary school counselor Jamshid and his ultimate frisbee team. Originally from Tehran, Jamshid settled in Seattle after studying in the U.S., where he formed a team of immigrant and refugee children and began training them.
Through practicing how to throw and catch the frisbee both on and off the field, the children come to understand, in a physical and emotional sense, what solidarity means—and experience the sense of stability that belonging to a group can bring.
Above all, as you watch the film, you may find yourself overcome with the urge to run out onto a wide-open field and toss a frisbee with friends.
— Park Ila, Programmer
Francine STRICKWERDA is an award-winning documentary filmmaker whose works, including <Oil & Water>(2014) and <Busting Out>(2004), have aired on Showtime, PBS, and Netflix. Her films explore themes of power, trauma, and healing. Based in Seattle, she co-owns the creative agency Hullabaloo and began her career in journalism.