Columbus couple’s awarding-winning film will make Georgia premiere. How to watch for free
An award-winning film with a local couple as the executive producers will make its Georgia premiere in a free screening at the Columbus Public Library.
“An Hour from the Middle of Nowhere” will be shown Sept. 3 at 6 p.m. in the library at 3000 Macon Road.
The documentary depicts the intertwining lives of an immigration attorney, a community and a family in the shadow of one of the largest immigration detention prisons in the United States, the Stewart Detention Center in Lumpkin, about 40 miles south of Columbus.
The documentary’s honors include the Gesa-Rautenberg Award for Best Feature Length Film at this year’s Schleswig-Holstein Film Festival in Germany. It also has been chosen to be the closing movie at the 2024 Human Rights Film Festival in Berlin in October.
How this Columbus couple got involved in this film
Rita and Miles Ellis of Columbus became the documentary’s executive producers after they met the German filmmakers, Kathrin Seward and Ole Elfenkaemper, about five years ago while helping a nonprofit organization, Paz Amigos, bring families to visit relatives at the Stewart Detention Center.
“When they needed somewhere to stay while filming, my husband and I were glad to help,” Rita told the Ledger-Enquirer in an emailed interview, “and they stayed with us while they were in the U.S.”
Rita is co-managing director of Key 2 Wall Street, a Columbus company that conducts seminars about financial investing. Miles is an emergency room doctor.
After persevering through delays from the COVID-19 pandemic, Rita is grateful to have this film shown in her hometown.
“We have immense pride in showing such a powerful documentary to the community,” she said. “’An Hour from the Middle of Nowhere’ is a local film that illuminates complex immigration issues in a tangible, pertinent manner.
“Five years ago, we were unaware that one of the largest immigration detention centers in the United States was in our backyard. The filmmakers’ interest compelled us to look and help where we could. A nonprofit was formed to help those released from the detention center, and over 2,000 men and women found their way safely across the United States.”
The filmmakers and the immigration attorney in the documentary, Marty Rosenbluth, will attend the screening in the library and participate in a discussion after the one hour, 23-minute movie is shown.
“It has been an honor to host Ole Elfankaemper and Kathrin Steward and watch them perfect their film,” Rita said. “Their objective observations of the town, the people and those affected by the immigration system are deftly shown. Viewing the film in Columbus with Ole, Kathrin, Marty and many locals who are part of the film makes this premiere very special.”
Why watch ‘An Hour from the Middle of Nowhere’
Rita explained why she thinks this film is worth watching.
“First and foremost, it brings attention to human rights issues that occur in these less-visible facilities,” she said. “With less oversight, these prisons are potential sites of serious abuses, and shedding light on them can help foster broader awareness and spark discussions about the need for reform and accountability.”
The documentary spotlights personal stories to humanize this issue, she said, “transforming abstract policy debates into relatable, real-life experiences. This can make the impacts of immigration policies more tangible for viewers.”
Rita hopes the movie can be a catalyst to help improve the immigration system and conditions at detention centers.
“By highlighting the issues at a specific location,” she said. “Our film should contribute to broader calls for policy reform and influence both policymakers and activists.”
Beyond the immigration issue, Rita sees Rosenbluth’s story as an inspiring example of dedication and resilience.
“He stands as an unsung hero—a radical and outspoken lawyer who remains profoundly caring and compassionate,” she said. “His complex persona reflects the region where he lives: a blend of toughness and vulnerability, passion and quirkiness. This dichotomy makes him a compelling figure and highlights the profound impact one person can have in the fight for justice.”
Rita noted that, when the filmmakers started working on this documentary in 2019, the Stewart Detention Center courts denied 96% of the detainees’ claims.
“That record is one of the toughest in the nation,” she said. “It is only slightly better today. Watch the documentary with an open mind. Remember that those detained are real people trying to make a better life for themselves and their families.”
