Event:

BFI London Film Festival2018 (10-21 October 2018)

This year’s London Film Festival starts today. There is a wide range of interesting films relating to migration and exile. You can find out more about the festival here.

We have chosen to highlight the film El Dorado below because it can help us understand better European migration and refugee issues.

El Dorado

Markus Imhoof blends the intensely personal with the socio-political to powerful effect in this documentary, a penetrating examination of how migrants are treated upon arrival in Europe.

Dir-Scr. Markus Imhoof

Prod. Pierre-Alain Meier, Markus Imhoof, Thomas Kufus

Switzerland-Germany

2018

92min

Contrasting current immigration policies with childhood memories of his family offering shelter to an Italian girl during the Second World War, Imhoof shifts between his reminiscences over old photos and letters, and dramatic footage of an Italian warship rescuing desperate refugees from the sea, only to deposit them in transit camps where they become easy prey for criminals who force them into slave labour and sex work. Are these immigrants, in search of their Eldorado, any different from European migrants of yesteryear who were driven by war and poverty to seek better lives on other continents? Is it fair that Europe continues to extract the wealth of Africa’s natural resources whilst denying entry to Europe for its people? These urgent questions are articulately presented through observation and personal testimony.

Find out more here

 

LIVING REFUGEE ARCHIVE

Stay up to date with the latest refugee and migration trends and developments, as well as the latest LRA blogposts by subscribing to the LRA Newsletter here.

Explore previous issues of the LRA Newsletter here.

Explore other Blogposts from the LRA Website here.

 

ENDNOTES

Disclaimer

Blogposts on The Living Refugee Archive Website are moderated by Paul Dudman (p.v.dudman@uel.ac.uk), UEL Archivist for the University of East London Library and Learning Service. This blogpost was prepared by Thushari Perera, UEL Archive volunteer. It does not necessarily reflect the views of the Archive or the University. If you re-print, copy, archive or re-post this message please retain this disclaimer.