Chesco filmmaker's documentary gets notice

When Chris Cotter set out to make his documentary about human-rights atrocities in Eritrea, his goal was for it to have an impact.

Now it appears it is.

This week, the West Chester filmmaker screened his work, Refugee: The Eritrean Exodus, for employees at the State Department, who he hopes will use it to spread the word. The film has also aired or has scheduled showings in New York, California, London, and Barcelona.

But the most heartening news might have come from an advocate for an Eritrean who had fled his homeland and was seeking asylum in Europe.

The advocate said the 20-something refugee, whose father had been jailed for opposing the Eritrean regime, planned to show a DVD of the documentary to immigration officers as part of his bid to win asylum.

"The whole point," said Cotter, "is to treat refugees in your backyard with compassion and treat refugees like human beings."

The documentary about men, women, and children fleeing their homeland in the Horn of Africa is the first feature-length film directed by Cotter, 38, a musician who runs a six-person production company called Tailor Made Media.

The State Department says Americans should not travel to Eritrea, warning of armed citizen militias, detentions, "harsh" prison conditions, and other dangers.

More than two dozen department staffers - including the Eritrea Desk officer from the Bureau of African Affairs, the team leader from the Office of International Religious Freedom, and representatives from the Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration - gathered Monday to watch the documentary. John Stauffer, an executive producer of the documentary and cofounder of the nonprofit America Team for Displaced Eritreans, arranged for the showing.

"The objective is, in a compelling and relatively concise way, to inform folks in parts of the U.S. government, nongovernmental organizations, the media, and others what's going on," Stauffer said.

Lawyers and human-rights activists have also reached out to get the film, Cotter said.

"I don't think I ever thought it would be as big as it is," he said.

mbond@philly.com

610-313-8207@MichaelleBond