2021 · 60 min · Documentary · Iran · Persian, English, Kurdish · Color
ProducerMansour Forouzesh
ProductionForma Film
Co-productionSoureh Cinema
In a Serbian refugee camp, a group of Iranian and Afghan refugees share their dreams and hopes for a new life in Europe.
In the heart of Serbia, Iranian and Afghan refugees reflect on their aspirations and perceptions of Europe, a place they envision as a land of opportunity and safety. Among them, Kurdish families prepare to risk everything by attempting to cross the border.
Frustrated by the high costs and empty promises of professional smugglers, many refugees choose to take their fate into their own hands. They call this perilous journey “the Game.” Through the personal stories of Houshang, Masoumeh, Baluch, Kamran, and a group of Afghan refugees, we witness moments of quiet resilience and raw determination. As winter sets in, Muzaffar and Jafar set out to cross the Serbian-Croatian border, venturing into snow-covered forests in pursuit of a better future.
This film aims to explore the varied perspectives on migration to the West, focusing on the experiences of both Iranians and Afghans. For many Iranians, migration can represent the hope for a more comfortable life and broader opportunities. For Afghans, it is often a necessity driven by conflict and insecurity. By drawing out this contrast, the documentary reflects on the emotional and psychological weight of displacement.
Our intention is to shed light on the complex realities of the migration journey—the often unseen transition from citizen to refugee. While many films have portrayed the struggles of displaced individuals, the quieter, more personal aspects of their stories can sometimes go unnoticed.
With this documentary, we’ve sought to bring those subtler moments to the forefront and offer a more intimate and human view of migration—one that highlights perspectives not often represented.
The European refugee crisis began in 2015, when large numbers of asylum seekers from the Middle East and Africa arrived in the European Union via the Mediterranean Sea. Many come from countries such as Syria, Afghanistan, South Sudan, and Somalia, fleeing conflict, human rights abuses, or economic difficulties, hoping to build a better life in Europe.
In recent years, Iranian asylum seekers have become a noticeable new group in Europe, with circumstances that differ from many other refugees. Unlike Syria or Afghanistan, Iran is not currently experiencing war; nor does it face famine. Since Serbia lifted visa requirements for Iranians in 2017, many have traveled there and sought asylum without returning to Iran. This raises two important questions: What motivates Iranian asylum seekers to come to Europe?
How do they perceive the societies they hope to join? This documentary explores these questions by following the experiences of Iranian refugees and asylum seekers in Serbia. It sheds light on their hopes for a better future, their struggles to cross European borders, and their lives in a small refugee camp in Sid, Serbia.
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