The Global Search for Education: A Glimpse of Hope – Ukrainian Refugee Stories for Students and Families

Posted By C. M. Rubin on Jan 5, 2026

This month, audiences around the world can watch A Glimpse of Hope, a short documentary directed by Brandon Brody Kim that brings the global refugee crisis into sharp, human focus for classrooms and families.

Directed by Brandon Brody Kim, A Glimpse of Hope follows a Ukrainian couple whose lives are upended by Russia’s war—and whose resilience turns grief into resolve. Through intimate interviews and observational scenes, the short reveals the human cost of displacement while honoring everyday courage: love sustained, neighbors rallied, small dignities restored. Kim wears many hats—director, producer, cinematographer, editor—shaping a spare, honest portrait that foregrounds the couple’s voices. Featuring Mark Kreynovich, Oleksandr Muratov, and Oleksandra Muratov, the film invites classrooms and families to look past headlines toward humanity, and to consider concrete ways to help refugees rebuild their lives with safety and hope.

The Global Search for Education is pleased to welcome director Brandon Brody Kim.

Brandon – What drew you personally to this Ukrainian couple and community, and how did you first connect with Mission for Ukraine for this project?

My initial interest in refugees began in my childhood, when I would hear stories from my veteran father about Iraqi refugees. One thing that he told me that I kept close to my heart was that these people were just as human as us, and shouldn’t be treated as simply commodities or statistics. My specific interest in the Ukraine conflict stemmed from my experience and competitions in high school debate, where we often researched international issues like the Ukraine War to speak about in our contentions. That’s why when I heard about this Ukrainian couple through my father’s co-worker, I asked if I could meet with and interview them about their experiences. When I decided to turn their interview into a documentary, I wanted to spotlight their arduous journey from their homeland to the United States. In addition, I wanted my film to have multiple perspectives on these refugees. Fortunately, my father’s co-worker informed me that she also knew the Co-Founder of Mission for Ukraine, a knowledgeable and honorable person who could speak about the refugee crisis as a whole.

As director, producer, cinematographer, and editor, how did you build trust with your subjects while filming such emotionally vulnerable moments?

I prepared informal questions and sent them ahead of time, so nothing would be intrusive. I also made it clear to them that they didn’t have to answer all the questions and that they had control over what they wanted to share.

Surprisingly, while I felt incredibly grateful for their time, they actually thanked me, explaining how meaningful it was for them for someone to listen and document their hardships. They went above and beyond and voluntarily told me about the hardest moments in their experience.

Were there specific scenes or conversations you found especially difficult—or essential—to include in order to show both the trauma and the hope in their story?

Two sections from my interview with the refugee family really stand out as essential factors to convey the themes of both trauma and hope throughout the film. I think my favorite line from around the 40-minute interview we had was when the husband, Oleksandr Muratov, used an analogy to describe the state of limbo their life was in as “like the feeling of someone who’s had their legs torn off by a Russian bomb. He could have died, but he’s still alive.” Another key element of my documentary to show there is still hope, not just for refugees but in humanity’s kindness, was a line the wife of Oleksandra Muratov said: “It was very touching because I realized that all these people were taking time out of their own lives away from their families, to come help us.”

What do you hope young viewers, educators, and families will do or reflect on after watching A Glimpse of Hope, especially regarding support for refugees and organizations like Mission for Ukraine?

Going back to what I mentioned earlier, I hope that everyone who has watched the film will be able to grasp the fact that all refugees, not just from Ukraine, are much more than just statistics you see on the news or afterthoughts of a conflict. With this mindset, I hope that viewers will be moved to support organizations like Mission for Ukraine, doing the hardest work on the ground and sacrificing their time to support these refugees.

It’s an important and deeply human story – thank you, Brandon.

C.M. Rubin with Brandon Brody Kim

🎥 A Glimpse of Hope is a powerful resource for classrooms and families seeking to explore the refugee experience, empathy, and global citizenship in meaningful ways.