HOW THE PROJECT STARTED
In June 2019, when we decided to go volunteering with refugees from Europe, we started to learn about the crisis. We knew very little about what was going on in the field and were surprised to find out how complicated it was to find reliable, up-to-date, and easily accessible information.
Because this situation is simply not in the media.
So we decided to make a documentary that shows the complexity of the situation to allow the world to know what is happening at the moment in our territories, in Europe.
In addition to this, you will need to know more about it.
Once in Samos, we interviewed as many people as we could: migrants, volunteers and locals. Through their many looks, our goal was to paint the big picture.
In Samos - The Faces of Our Border, you will hear their stories, thoughts, opinions and subject matter expertise.
Shams ABOU EL ENEIN - Director
It was not my idea to go volunteering, it was a first for me. I searched the internet and didn't find much information. But once there, I realized that I had absolutely no idea what was going on at the European borders and that I was pretentious thinking I knew what immigration and migrants were. This is the movie I wish I had seen before going to the field.
GREEK HOTSPOTS
The subject of the film
The "hotspot", the first reception center on the Greek island of Samos, is located next to Vathy, a town of 7000 inhabitants.
In addition to this, you will need to know more about it.
The official camp was built for 700 people. Due to slow asylum procedures and regular arrivals, at the time of filming, 4,000 people were surviving in inhumane conditions.
In addition to this, you will need to know more about it.
These centers are the entry points to Europe, the first step in the official asylum application procedure.
THE FILM TEAM
Swiss director and producer who carried the film.
In addition to this, you will need to know more about it.
Shams started making shorts for a local monthly directing competition at the age of 12. He trained at the Geneva SAE Institute and the Vancouver Film School. His short film EMERENTIA was selected for the Bloody Cuts Horror Film Contest 2013. He also directed MECHANICS OF LIFE in 2014 and SÉMÉDÉE in 2019 selected for the VIP fest.
He now works for BuzzBrothers SÃ rl where he produces commercials for international brands like HONDA, NESTLE, JTI, etc ...
In June 2019, he shot SAMOS - THE FACES OF OUR BORDER, a feature documentary, his latest personal project.
MANON GAY-CROSIER
Manon is a Swiss medical student. She helps Shams throughout this project. Although she usually works behind the scenes, her inspiration, her help finding interviewees, her patient work in selecting film festivals and much more has been of immeasurable value to this project.
Mathilde Heu is a Swiss illustrator now living in London, who did some illustrations for the film.
YOANN MONET
Yoann Monet is a Swiss motion designer, who did some illustrations for the film.
ELODIE ARMENGAUD
Élodie Armengaud is a French painter and artist, who produced some illustrations for the film.
Fabienne Moret is a Swiss illustrator, who produced some illustrations for the film.
Benoit Ravanel is a French sound engineer, who mixed the soundtrack for the film.
... AND MANY MORE PEOPLE WHO HELPED BRING THIS PROJECT TO LIFE. THANK YOU.
Thank you to all the wonderful people who gave of their time and energy to make this project come to life. You are all amazing.
