Dir: Marta Bergman | Cast: Salim Kechiouche, Zbeida Belhajamor, Clara Toros, Abda Razak Alsweha, Lucie Debay, Michaël Abiteboul, Yoann Zimmer, Isabelle de Hertogh and Marie Denarnaud | Belgium, Canada – French, Arabic – 94′
Marta Bergman has already made a name for herself for the stunning feature debut Alone at my Wedding that premiered at Cannes’ Acid sidebar in 2018.
The Bucharest-born filmmaker’s second feature, a migrant movie, follows Syrian nationals Sara and Adam and their two-year-old toddler who have entered Belgium illegally en route to the UK.
Cutesy opening sequences of the couple cuddling and dancing with their baby, born in Greece, are intended to endear us to their supposed plight. But the simple truth is their illegal entry into Belgium is with the intention of heading for the softer options of the UK to claim asylum, via traffickers. No mention is given as to why they have left their original home, or the circumstances involving their departure with a tiny baby.
Bergman dialogue light escape thriller relies on woozy, impressionistic camerawork to show how the couple come face to face with the authorities in the shape of veteran policer officer Redoune, who is charged with rooting out people who shouldn’t be coming to Europe without dire need.
The authorities are shown as unsympathetic and abusive, Redouane’s car following in hot pursuit of the migrants’ van in the semi darkness on the Belgian motorway. Headlight lights flash and sirens blare as scuffles break out, Redouane threatening the foreigners at gunpoint. Clearly they are victims of traffickers but Redouane will soon sees himself at the hands of the Law after his harsh treatment of these illegals. Facing a harsh truth involving her baby, Sara too becomes belligerent in this grim tale of trafficking and illegal migration with a hopeful ending for the Syrian couple. @MeredithTaylor
IN COMPETITION | CAIRO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 2025