Midnight Traveler

For over a year, Hassan Fazili and Fatima Hossani have tried in vain to get political asylum for themselves and their two daughters. Now they get sent from Tajikistan back to their native country of Afghanistan, where Hassan has a bounty on his head for making a TV documentary about a renegade Taliban commander. This perilous situation prompts the family to brave the dangers of entering Europe illegally, and they document this journey with their cell phones.

Similar stories have been told, and still it remains essential to witness the effects of European migration policies from the perspective of people simply looking for a basic level of security. What’s more, the characteristics of this particular family take the film to a higher level. Both Hassan and Fatima are filmmakers, and their 11-year-old daughter Nargis, who steps in as the third camera operator, is clearly comfortable on either side of the lens.

The family largely maintains a playful optimism in the face of perpetual uncertainty, deceit and hostility. It’s the strength of their bond that leaves a lasting impression.