Two at the Border

Ali and Naser are two young Arabs, a Syrian and a Palestinian, respectively. Based in the Turkish city of Edirne, they help refugees cross the border into Greece. Recently, most of these refugees have been from Ali's native Syria, mostly men who are trapped between a government army that makes them shoot civilians and rebel groups that hunt down the soldiers. European authorities are working hard to patrol the border, part of which runs along a river. And because more and more manpower and means are being employed to stop the flow of refugees, this human trafficking is growing more dangerous and complicated each day. Filmmakers Tuna Kaptan and Felicitas Sonvilla follow the two men from close up as they hang around their apartment, smoke, chat about their families at home (where they might just return one day), and prepare their missions to get their clients out of Turkey. The camera also accompanies them on a trip to the border. Ultimately, it all looks pretty abysmal for both the men and their clients alike, as far fewer of these refugees are making it into Greece.