Dean Crowe Theatre Athlone

Tuesday 12 November 2024 8pm

Dir: Agnieszka Holland - Poland, France, Czech Republic, Belgium 2023

Language: Polish, Arabic, English, French with subtitles

Running time: 152 mins Cert: CLUB

Starring: Jalal Altawil, Maja Ostaszewska, Behi Djanati Atai, Mohamad Al Rashi, Tomasz Włosok

In this harrowing, urgent drama from veteran Polish director Agnieszka Holland, a Syrian family leaves the violence of their country behind, hoping to cross from Belarus into Poland and then onto the safe haven of Sweden, only to get caught in a political maelstrom, demonised by the Polish government.

In the treacherous and swampy forests that make up the so-called "green border" between Belarus and Poland, refugees from the Middle East and Africa trying to reach the European Union are trapped in a geopolitical crisis cynically engineered by Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko. In an attempt to provoke Europe, refugees are lured to the border by propaganda promising easy passage to the EU. Pawns in this hidden war, the lives of Julia, a newly minted activist who has given up her comfortable life, Jan, a young border guard, and a Syrian family, intertwine.

Festivals: & Awards:
2023 Venice Film Festival
Official Competition, Winner: Special Jury Prize
2023 Toronto International Film Festival
Official Selection, Centrepiece / Luminaries
2023 New York Film Festival
Official Selection, Main Slate
2023 European Film Awards
Nominated for: European Film, European Director, European Screenwriter
2024 International Film Festival Rotterdam
Official Selection, Winner: Audience Award