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This article explodes traditional notions of ethnographic documentary, and instead positions the emerging practice of ethnocinema as a 21st century modality that falls within the paradigm of what Denzin calls the ‘eighth moment scholarship’ in this ‘fractured future’. Drawing on the monological, dialogic and imagistic ‘data’ from the ethnocinematic research project Cross‐Marked: Sudanese Australian Young Women Talk Education, the article uses ethnographic documentary film theory (including Minh‐ha, Rouch, and Aufderheide) and the critical pedagogical scholarship of McLaren to examine notions of performative identity construction and the possibility of intercultural identities and collaborations. Utilising the central metaphor of Minh‐ha’s ethnographic and filmic ‘zoo’, which cages those who are Othered by race, class, gender, sexuality and a myriad of differences, this article and ethnocinema overall seek to overthrow notions of difference, culture and community while recognising the increasingly prescient power of McLuhan’s dictum that the ‘medium is the message’ in this rhizomatic age.

This research project examined resettled refugees’ perspectives on the Canterbury Earthquakes to better understand the organisational implications for disaster preparedness and response with culturally and linguistically diverse groups.

The method of data collection for this exploratory pilot study involved conducting semi-structured focus group discussions during January 2012 with the Bhutanese, Afghani and Ethiopian communities. The project was conducted in partnership with Refugee Services Aotearoa which is New Zealand's primary refugee resettlement organisation.

The participant comments identify the importance of local ethnic community responses to a natural disaster. The need for a pre-established meeting centre(s) and community liaisons with key support organisations was highlighted as vital. Central to recovery is how organisations can work alongside refugee communities in disaster preparedness and response opportunities.

The paper offers insight into the additional considerations of disaster risk reduction strategies with refugee background communities – a group that is relatively under-researched in disaster contexts.