Film Shapes

Matteo Garrone directs this migrant drama about two lads trying to make their way from Senegal to Europe. Considering the bleak shit they go through on the trek, their life in Dakar doesn't seem as grim as might be expected. Garrone and co-writers Massimo Ceccherini, Massimo Gaudioso and Andrea Tagliaferri (along with a whole swag of collaborating writers) are posing a less stereotyped position here - what if a couple of young guys simply want to follow their dream and work in Europe? Do they necessarily have to be escaping a life of hardship and/or persecution? This premise shines a light on the broken system that forces people, for many reasons, to risk their lives in pursuit of a better option. Not being sure of legal standpoints here, I did a bit of reading on Amnesty International's website. The following explains the distinction between migrants, like the guys in this film, and refugees or asylum seekers: It is important to understand that, just because migrants do not fl...