Screening the Refugee Crisis

2015 will enter history books as a key year in international migration – and as a year of irresponsible words. Some people envision a great migration of the scale of the Huns, the Goths or the “conquering” Hungarian tribes ignoring the fact that today’s refugees and other migrants do not have any military or political goals. While the refugee policies of the various EU countries vary greatly, some speak about a single “Fortress Europe,” evoking Speer and Hitler’s war lies about “Festung Europa,” which had been used to justify the bloody killings of the WWII on the pretext of protecting civilization against the barbarians.

The refugees indeed are not barbarians, and we hope that we, Europeans, are not either. That is why we need to learn about each other as much as possible. This year Verzio puts the representation of the refugee crisis into the focus of attention, exploring how the power of images can shape opinions, challenge stereotypes, and call to action.

On four occasions, the Hungarian Helsinki Committee organizes follow-up debates with legal advisers, journalists, social scientists, and filmmakers. Besides powerfully exposing the refugees’ tribulations, the films and debates examine how European societies cope with the new situation.

In cooperation with the Hungarian Helsinki Committee

Films in Toldi, Művész, Cirko-Gejzír and KINO are screened in original language with English subtitles.

Morgan Knibbe # The Netherlands & Greece & Italy # 2014 # 74min # Arabic & Bengali & Greek & Italian & Tigrigna & Wolof & Persian
An unconventional, poetic exploration of a serious social problem: the hopeless existence of refugees stuck at Europe’s edge.
Művész
Nov 11, 20:30
English & Hungarian Subtitles
Cirko
Nov 12, 19:15
English & Hungarian Subtitles
Toldi
Nov 14, 17:00
English & Hungarian Subtitles
Lisbeth Kovacic # Austria # 2014 # 25min # English & German & Hungarian
Years after Hungary joined the Schengen area the Hungarian-Austrian border persists culturally and socially, while citizens on both sides are increasingly polarized on the issues of migration and free population movements.
Cirko
Nov 12, 15:30
English Subtitle
Toldi
Nov 13, 17:00
English Subtitle & Hungarian Simultaneous Translation
Fernand Melgar # Switzerland # 2014 # 101min # French & English & Spanish & Wolof & Romani & Fula
A cold winter spent at an emergency shelter for the homeless in Lausanne, as both nightly residents and staff try to cope and rebel in their own small ways.
Locarno Film Festival, Special Mention, 2014.
Cirko
Nov 12, 17:15
English Subtitle
Toldi
Nov 14, 13:15
English Subtitle & Hungarian Simultaneous Translation
Želimir Žilnik # Serbia # 2015 # 94min # Serbian & English
Life is full of challenges for people stranded against their will in the Balkans after the long escape from Afghanistan, Syria, Ghana, and Cameroon. A collaborative docu-drama that holds up a mirror to Europe’s restrictive immigration policies.
Cultural Diversity Award, GoEast Film Festival, 2015; Winner of the 62nd Belgrade Festival of Documentary and Short Feature Film, 2015.
Toldi
Nov 12, 17:15
English & Hungarian Subtitles
Cirko
Nov 15, 18:15
English & Hungarian Subtitles
Ákos K. Kovács # Serbia # 2015 # 4min # English
A slice in the everyday life of migrants and refugees gathering around an old brick factory near Subotica, Serbia, en route to the EU.
Toldi
Nov 13, 17:00
English Subtitle & Hungarian Simultaneous Translation
Toldi
Nov 14, 13:00
English Subtitle & Hungarian Simultaneous Translation
Sean McAllister # UK # 2015 # 76min # English
Filmed over 5 years, the film charts an incredible journey of Raghda's and Amer's hopes, dreams and despair: for the revolution, homeland and each other.
Fest’s Grand Jury Award, Sheffield Doc, 2015.
Toldi
Nov 10, 18:00
English & Hungarian Subtitles
Toldi
Nov 11, 17:00
English & Hungarian Subtitles
Kino
Nov 14, 17:00
English & Hungarian Subtitles
Művész
Nov 15, 17:00
English & Hungarian Subtitles
Vladimir Tomić # Denmark & Serbia # 2015 # 70min # Bosnian
One of thousands of Bosnian refugees living aboard “Flotel Europa” moored in Copenhagen between 1992-94, the director now uses his own footage to weave a picture of life and his own adolescence aboard the ship.
Peace Film Award, Honorable Mention, Berlinale, 2015.
Művész
Nov 11, 21:00
English Subtitle
Toldi
Nov 13, 21:15
English Subtitle & Hungarian Simultaneous Translation
Cirko
Nov 14, 19:45
English Subtitle
Krisztina Meggyes # Hungary # 2015 # 28min # Hungarian
As a new refugee camp is established near Vámosszabadi in Hungary, the village is faced with questions of tolerance, fear of the unknown, migration and globalization.
Toldi
Nov 13, 17:00
English Subtitle
Cirko
Nov 15, 16:30
English Subtitle