A new film by Yasmin Gunaratnam explores the social pain often experienced by migrants at the end of life.

Two Sighs is a short film made by researcher and lecturer, Yasmin Gunaratnam, and is based on interviews conducted as part of her Case Stories project. 

Case stories is a transdisciplinary project on migration, dying and care, funded by a British Academy Fellowship.

Using oral histories, archival research, stories and art, the aim is to better describe and understand 'social pain' at the end of life for migrants. Social pain refers to the suffering caused by social inequalities, injustice and exclusion.

The project is also building a digital archive of stories of transnational dying that can be used in teaching and training.

Talking to ehospice last year about the project, Yasmin explained: "At a very basic level the Case Stories project is using stories and art to try and encourage thinking about the ways in which social pain can manifest at the end of a life." 

The film tells three stories, starting with Harshini's story about caring for her mother with dementia and how religious and cultural differences can affect symptoms and care needs.

Following this is the poem 'Dust to Dust', a migration journey from arrival in the UK, to industrial injury and the lure of 'home' - mango trees, rivers, sea - at the end of life.

In the final scene, 'A Face', a hospice nurse remembers caring for a Ugandan woman with AIDS-related dementia who did not speak English, and the difficulties in bridging their differences to understand each other.

You can view the film Two Sighs on YouTube or visit the Case Stories website to find out more about Yasmin's project.