While the current presidential election might make it seem like immigration is a uniquely American issue, in Europe, the influx of refugees in recent years has also become a potent political topic. There are no easy answers, but Gianfranco Rosi’s documentary “Fire At Sea” does what many having this conversation simply aren’t doing: observing.
Taking his cameras to Italy’s southernmost island, Lampedusa, “Fire At Sea” focuses on the lives of those who are in the direct path of migrants, who often pass through the small, 20 kilometer square piece of land on their way into Europe. This journey is viewed through the eyes of a handful of inhabitants including a doctor who must deal with the deceased migrants who don’t survive, and a local boy who is indirectly feeling the impact of the changing world around him. And as you’ll see in this exclusive clip, even a quick spin in rowboat can result in unforeseen dangers.
Picking up multiple awards at the Berlin Film Festival earlier this year including the Golden Bear, Prize of the Ecumenical Jury, and the Amnesty International Film Prize, “Fire At Sea” opens in limited release on Friday, October 21st.