Walking For Ded is an award-winning meditation on the revival of the sanctuary movement in the United States in response to the anti-immigrant political agenda implemented by the Trump administration. It focuses on the case of Ded Rranxburgaj, an Albanian immigrant who has lived and worked in the U.S. for 17 years after being denied political asylum.
Ded has been in sanctuary with his family at the Central United Methodist Church in Detroit since January 16, 2018. Ded’s wife Flora, who immigrated to the U.S. with him 17 years ago, has multiple sclerosis and cannot be deported for health reasons. Ded is her primary caregiver. The couple has two children, one of whom is a DACA recipient.
In May 2018, members of the congregation led by Rev. Jill Zundel teamed up with Michigan United, an organization that fights for immigrant rights, to organize a 90-mile pilgrimage to “Keep Families Together” from Detroit to the state capitol in Lansing, Michigan. Walking For Ded follows their efforts to bring attention to Ded’s plight and convince Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to issue a stay of removal.
One year after the pilgrimage, ICE still considers Ded a fugitive.
Walking For Ded premiered in Detroit at the Central United Methodist Church on April 12, 2019. The following week the film was an Official Selection of the Capital City Film Festival in Lansing. In May, it won the Knight Foundation Award for Best Documentary in the Detroit Voices competition at the Cinetopia Film Festival.
About the Participants
Ded and Flora Rranxburgaj
Ded and Flora Rranxburgaj fled Albania in 2001 during a period of unrest, but were denied political asylum in the United States. However, the couple was allowed to stay in the country because Flora was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and Ded serves as her primary caregiver. The couple have two sons, Lorenc, a DACA recipient attending the University of Michigan-Dearborn, and Eric, who attends Southgate Anderson High School.
Rev. Dr. Jill Zundel
Rev. Dr. Zundel is the pastor and spiritual leader of the historic Central United Methodist Church in downtown Detroit, which declared itself a sanctuary church in January 2017, the first church to do so in the state of Michigan.
Caitlin Homrich-Knieling
Caitlin Homrich-Knieling is a small town and rural community organizer with Michigan United, a coalition of labor, business, social service and civil rights members all across Michigan, fighting for the rights of homeowners, renters, immigrant families and students.
Pete Gojcaj
Pete Gojcaj’s family was torn apart when his wife, Cile Precetaj, was deported from Sterling Heights, MI to Albania after living in the U.S. for 18 years. The couple have three children together.
Doug Fleury
Doug Fleury’s family was shattered when his partner, Laura Salas, was deported from Madison Heights, MI to Mexico after living in the U.S. for 17 years. The couple have two children together.
About the Filmmakers
Scott Boehm
Scott Boehm (Writer, Director & Producer) is the award-winning director of What Happens To A Dream Deferred: A Short Film About DACA. Walking For Ded: A Short Film About Sanctuary is his second film, and a companion to the first. He has also worked as a script consultant on other films, including the Spanish thriller The Cliff, which won Best Film at the 2016 Austin Film Festival in the Dark Matters category, and the feature documentary Growing Up Hmong at the Crossroads. Scott is Assistant Professor of Spanish & Global Studies and Affiliated Faculty in the Film Studies Program at Michigan State University, where he also directs the MSU Latinx Film Festival.
Peter Johnston
Peter Johnston (Cinematographer, Editor & Producer) is the Digital Media/Film Production Manager in the Film Studies Program at Michigan State University and holds a B.F.A. in Photography from Alma College and an M.A. in Digital Media Technology from MSU. Peter has directed, produced, filmed and/or edited a variety of short fiction, documentary and experimental films, including What Happens To A Dream Deferred: A Short Film About DACA, Ka-dy Comes Home and Hmong Memory at the Crossroads.