THE REFUGEE CRISIS: FILMS FROM THE BORDERS OF EUROPE
A.S. Onassis Program in Hellenic Studies at New York University
THURSDAYS @ 6:30PM | 285 MERCER ST, NEW YORK, NY 10003
September 8
Walls, dir. Pablo Iraburu & Migueltxo Molina (2015), Spain
The world is increasingly more divided by walls. There are human beings on either side of them. A documentary, brilliantly edited, connects people living and working on different sides of decisive walls between Spain/Morocco, Israel/Palestine, Mexico/U.S and South Africa/ Zimbabwe.
September 15
The Sea between Us, dir. Caoimhe Butterly, 2016, Ireland
A short film about the frontier shores of Europe: Lesvos Island, Greece
The Border, dir. Caoimhe Butterly, 2016, Ireland
A short film about the land border of Europe: Eidomeni, Greece
Those who Feel the Fire Burning, dir. Morgan Knibbe, 2014, Netherlands
A ghost’s perspective on refugees in transit in Greece. A poetic documentary captures numerous refugee narratives with a subjective and restless camera.
September 22
Welcome, dir. Philippe Lioret, 2009, France
A compelling drama set in Calais, France about a Kurdish 17- year old boy, who learns to swim in order to cross the English Channel and meet his Kurdish sweetheart.
September 29
A Syrian Love Story, Sean McAllister, 2015, UK
The documentary filmmaker follows a Syrian family for over a 5-year period through love, separation, prison, war and freedom.
October 6
One Night Together, Eleftheria Astrinaki, 2009, Greece
A short film about a smuggler and a minor crossing the Turkish - Greek border of Evros, before the construction of the fence.
The Longest Run, dir. Marianna Economou, 2015, Greece
A Syrian and an Iraqi under-age escaped war only to find themselves falsely accused of trafficking refugees to Greece, facing a sentence of 20-25 years in prison.
October 13
For a Moment, Freedom, dir. Arash T. Riahi, 2009, Austria
This is an immigrant-in-peril border-crossing tale with a smooth balance of realism, polish, warmth, suspense, humor and tragedy, shot mostly in Turkey.
October 20
Logbook Serbistan, dir. Zelimer Zilnik, 2015, Serbia
A documentary about asylum-seekers taking the Balkan route, aiming to reach one of the EU countries. Since Hungary has closed its borders, many get stuck in Serbia, a country which is still recovering from a war crisis itself.
October 27
The Judgement, dir. Stephan Komandarev, 2014, Bulgaria
The story of a father and a son living by the Bulgarian-Turkish-Greek border, who smuggle refugees to survive; a fiction film that addresses the double crisis; the economic as well as the refugee crisis.
November 3
Le Havre, dir. Aki Kaourismaki, 2011, Finland
A shoeshine man finds redemption by helping a refugee boy from Africa in the retro-style deadpan universe of the Finnish master.
November 10
Dreaming of Denmark, dir. Michael Graversen, 2015, Denmark
A documentary about Wasiullah, an unaccompanied minor from Afganistan, who disappears from the Danish Asylum Center.
November 17
Eat, Sleep, Die, dir. Gabriela Pichler, 2012, Sweden
A portrait of Eastern European immigrants working in Sweden, a documentary-like -in its realism- fiction film, with warm characters and remarkable performances.
December 1
Special Flight, dir. Fernand Melgar, 2011, Switzerland
An Emmy Nominated documentary observes a Swiss detention center for migrants and asylum seekers who will eventually be shipped back to the countries they’ve fled; with a “special” Swiss Air flight, handcuffed, tied up and forced into wearing diapers.
December 8
Head on, dir. Fatih Akin, 2004, Germany - Turkey
A multi-awarded film and a powerful story about lost identity, set in Germany’s Turkish subculture; one of the finest examples of contemporary European cinema.
December 15
Fire at Sea, dir. Gianfranco Rossi, 2016, Italy
A golden Berlin Bear documentary by an exceptional non-fiction filmmaker depicts refugee crisis and daily life on the Mediterranean frontier island of Lampedusa, Italy.
About Visiting Assistant Professor Eleftheria Astrinaki
Eleftheria Astrinaki is an award-winning filmmaker and writer. She received her MFA in Film from Columbia University and teaches the history and theory of cinema at the School of Fine Arts at the National Technical University of Athens. She is a member of several art collectives in Greece, and an active participant in the contemporary art scene in Athens.
