On behalf of a TV channel, young director Michael, burning with the desire to capture dramatic pictures for his envisaged documentary, travels with his cameraman to a reception camp at the Serbian-Hungarian border at the peak of the European refugee crisis. The Austrian couldn’t care less about the fate of the people he is filming there. However, when he is introduced to two young women, Nur and Zhora, and their Syrian companion, Bassam, he slowly begins to understand their fears and hopes. He discovers the risks these three had to take in order to escape the war and, for the first time, develops compassion for refugees. Zhora has consciously fallen indefinitely silent due to traumatic experiences and is being treated by Nur. And Bassam, apparently, harbours a dark secret. In trying to address the very relevant refugee crisis of the modern world, the Bosnian-Herzegovinian director Jasmin Duraković has created a film feature bearing hints of documentary cinematography. By looking into the individual stories and fates, he illustrates the everyday life and the courage of the refugees, but does not fail to also paint the emotional barrier characteristic of many privileged people, their xenophobia and ignorance as well as the efforts of the helpers. A thought-provoking parable on modern society.
Robert Hofferer
Producer, scriptwriter The Final Barrier
In Vienna: March 25-26
Clemens Aap Lindenberg
Actor The Final Barrier
In Vienna: March, 26
Hannes Fretzer
Actor The Final Barrier
In Vienna: March, 25
Michael Kristof
Actor The Final Barrier
In Vienna: March, 25
Die letzte Barriere
Jasmin Duraković
Nataša Drakulić, Robert Hofferer
Michael Kristof, Hannes Fretzer, Serena Marija
drama
Across the Line
Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Austria
2016
German, English with Engl. sub.
90 min