Leaving Greece
In 2008, Afghan teenagers Hossein, Reza and Kaka flee their homeland for Europe, hoping to find freedom and peace. They happen to arrive in Greece, but Greece is at the dawn of the economic crisis and soon it becomes clear that they cannot stay. However, they cannot leave either, since Greece’s frontiers are some of the best monitored in the continent. Yet the three friends keep trying to leave Greece in order to reach another European country and to pass through a legal asylum procedure. This is an undertaking that puts at risk not only their friendship, but also their lives.
A film about friendship – and the contradictory European refugee policy. A refugee has to apply for asylum in the country in which they first set foot on European soil. That is a well-established fact. Less well-established is the fact that for 90% of all refugees, the Aegean Sea is the gateway to Europe. What does that mean for Greece? Capitulation: the Greek asylum system is completely swamped, both by sheer numbers and financially, and collapsed years ago. No one can stay in Greece, but no one can leave, either: the Greek authorities exercise extreme severity toward refugees who try to leave the country. That's what Europe wants and Europe is willing to accept dead bodies...
The film tells the very personal stories of three young Afghan refugees, Hossein, Reza and Kaka, who for the last three years have been trying to break the vicious circle. They met in a refugee camp on the island of Lesbos. Hossein, Reza and Kaka pursue the three paths available (or not) to refugees once they have conquered the outer borders of „Fortress Europe“: success, hope and resignation. This is an undertaking that puts at risk not only their friendship, but also their lives. Zürich Film Festival//28.9.2013
Submission in the category Borderline / Medcins sans frontières
Hof - Internationale Hofer Filmtage//2013
Submission in the category Dokumentarfilm
Thessaloniki Documentary Festival//2014
Submission in the category Human Rights
DOK.fest München//2014
Submission in the category Münchner Premieren
Münchner Filmkunstwochen - Kulturreferat München//20.7.2014
Amnesty International//28.5.2014
Kino im U Dortmund//2014
Submission in the category Schulvorführungen
Volkshochschule Biberach//28.9.2014
Submission in the category Filmreihe
Astra Film Festival//2014
Submission in the category Miscellanea
London Greek Film Festival//2014
Baghdad International Film Festival//2014
Submission in the category Human Rights
Starter Filmpreis der Stadt München//15.10.2014
Award in the category Dokumentarfilm
Evangelische Stadtakademie München//28.1.2015
Reihe
Glockenbachwerkstatt München//26.10.2014
Submission in the category Reihe
Kino im Z Rosenheim//1.2.2015
Submission in the category Reihe
Westtorhalle Murnau//13.2.2015
Submission in the category Reihe
Millenium Film Festival//2015
Ethnocineca, Wien//5.5.2015
RAI International Film Festival of Ethnografic Film//16.6.2015
Submission in the category Studentensektion
Trento Filmfestival//28.4.2016