The film includes stories from Colombia

The documentary Clued Up was created during a four-month project involving five people working with film maker Reuben Abraham.

The film discusses where they have come from and what they have left behind.

Denise Robertson will officially launch the DVD on Friday at Sunderland Museum & Winter Gardens.

'More understanding'

The film includes stories of a family from Colombia who left their home and careers as a solicitor and a teacher to escape persecution, an Iranian seeking asylum but unable to find a solicitor to represent him, and someone who has fled civil war in the Congo.

The young people from Southmoor, Washinton and Oxclose schools visited Sunderland museum every Saturday for four months to learn the art of film-making.

This included script writing, the use of lighting and sound, editing and production basics as well as shooting on location.

Clare Grange, Tyne & Wear Museums assistant outreach officer, said: "The result is a fantastic piece of film by some extremely talented young adults which will become part of an educational resource to help people understand more about the lives of refugees and asylum seekers, and will be used within schools and community groups across the city."