2 short films explore themes of rebirth and reconnecting through the lens of displacement

As part of its third annual showcase of new works by the region's leading minority artists, ArtsWave will present a festival of nine short films July 30 at the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center.

This year’s "Truth & Healing Artist Showcase" is focused on the themes of healing, rebirth and reconnecting.

Two films in the showcase examine those themes through the lens of displacement.

Urban Renewal Means Negro Removal, by Deqah Hussein-Wetzel, explores the physical changes in Evanston, Avondale and South Cumminsville caused by the construction of interstates 71 and 74.

And the film Lejanía, by Pablo Mejia, tells the story of the new worlds people discover, the distances they travel and what they leave behind in their search for freedom.

On Cincinnati Edition, we talk about the power of home and what happens when families are displaced.