A musician travels from a small town in Western Australia to Manus Island in Papua New Guinea to visit refugee friends, where the simple joy of music provides brief respite from their harrowing plight. --- Musician Dawn Barrington and filmmaker Tim Maisey set off on a journey to Manus Island, Papua New Guinea, where they hope to meet some of the refugee friends they have been in contact with from their home on the south coast of Western Australia. Dawn has long been an advocate for refugee rights, particularly for these men who have been detained and then abandoned on Manus Island by the Australian government. Her goal in making the film is to show people that her refugee friends are normal human beings like anyone else. Travel to Manus is fraught. The pair fly to Papua New Guinea hoping that they will not get arrested and their equipment will not be confiscated, and remain unsure whether they will be allowed on to Manus until the last moment. They eventually make it to the island, where they are confined to their hotel room for the five days of their stay. Prohibited from visiting the refugee camp, they must rely on the refugees coming to their hotel room to share their stories and join in jam sessions. All of the footage is captured as it happens, with no setups, scripts or re-shoots. The result is raw and honest, giving the viewer a real sense of being there with Dawn and Tim. Watching this film is at once heart-rending and uplifting, as the joy of music brings light into these otherwise despairing lives. --- Many thanks to our friends on Manus Island and Port Moresby who came to see us, welcomed us, shared with us and fed us. Many thanks for their personal stories and personal film. It takes courage. Any money generated from this film will go towards supporting refugees on Manus Island and Port Moresby. --- http://dawnbarrington.com.au/2018/04/15/music-with-a-mission/ https://www.tmcgproductions.com/blog/2018/4/14/music-from-manus-5-days-not-5-years https://www.tmcgproductions.com/blog/2018/4/12/music-from-manus-5-days-not-5-years-filmmaking