Following the death of his father, the young Malian Mohamed Sali Sanougo Keita was chosen by his mother to become the family’s provider. The family’s cows, used to cultivate the land, was sold for 1500 Euros to finance his journey to Europe. After his first attempt failed and he was deported back to Mali, he is now going to try again. Miriam Faßbender’s empathetic and beautifully filmed documentary follows his journey from from Gao in Northern Mali, through Algeria and finally Morocco, from where he wants to try to get into Europe. Over a period of three years Faßbender met up with Mohamed at different locations along his way, enforced stop-overs where he has to wait for the right opportunity to cross the next border, meanwhile earning money to sustain himself and to pay for his passage to Europe. In Algeria near the Moroccan border Mohamed meets Jerry Rocky Salomon from Cameroon, who also wants to get to Europe to pursue a career in music. The film follows the journey’s rhythm of movement and stagnation, observing Mohamed and his different activities at work, travelling, passing time with other migrants. Longer interview sequences give him and Jerry plenty of opportunity to explain in detail the costs, methods and risks of the different parts of their journey and to talk about their fears and hopes. As Faßbender could not accompany the journey continuously over three years, she provided amateur cameras to the migrants whose footage accounts for 7% of the film.
Germany 2011, colour, 92mins. With English subtitles.
Directed by Miriam Faßbender. With Mohamed Sali Sanougo Keita and Jerry Rocky Salomon.
The screening is followed by a conversation with the director Miriam Faßbender.
Part of Promised Land
