Multiple screenings until Thursday 18th April

This is a joint co-production from Italy, France and Belgium. Starting in Africa it follows the trail taken by African migrants attempting to reach Europe and the ‘better life’ it seems to offer. It was written and directed by Matteo Garrone. His previous movies include Gomorrah (2008) and Dogman (2018). Both these dramas were set in Italy and presented powerful but often violent stories. For this new project Garrone worked with several scriptwriters: utilised stories by African writers: and accounts of Africans who had made the journey across the Mediterranean.

The movie opens in Dakar in Senegal where two teenage boys, Seydou (Seydou Sarr) and Moussa (Moustapha Fall), still officially at school, secretly plan to attempt this odyssey. More than one critic has described the cinematic journey as ‘Homeric’. Obtaining forged passports they travel though Mali, Niger, across the Sahara and into Libya. They are exploited by the smugglers and border military. They are violently abused both by criminal gangs and the soldiers. What little help they receive comes from fellow travelers on the illegal trail.

Once in Libya they have to find a way across the Mediterranean sea. This is is an old dilapidated vessel, crammed with would-be migrants: with no proper crew or engineers: and the sole aid a mobile device with GPS and a telephone number to ring: the latter apparently that of some refugee or migrant aid organisation. The Italian title translates literally as ‘Me Captain’.

The movie is well served by the locations [mainly in Morocco]: the cinematography: the editing: and a fine music track. Whilst predominately realist it also contains two sequences more like magical realism. The cast, including actual migrants, and the two leads who are non-professional, are excellent. The movie is in standard widescreen and colour and the dialogue is in Wolof / French / Arabic / English and with English subtitles. The only characters we see are Africans. Europeans are absent apart from a voice on the telephone; otherwise they only appear on the small screen of a mobile device with the images of the ‘better life’: behind the exteriors of oil rigs: inside an overhead helicopter.

This dramatic movie has received widespread critical acclaim and a standing ovation at the Venice Film Festival. It presents that part of the migrant experience that is little seen on the European screens. There are still several opportunities to catch screenings at the Picture House. At times harrowing it is still impressive drama to view; running just over two hours.

Another movie worth watching is Michael Winterbottom’s In this World (2005) which follows the journey of two even younger Afghan boys attempting to travel from their home territory to Britain. This is currently available on the BBC iPlayer.