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Campaigning on CROSSINGS
Crossings is coming back to London on November 8th, as a powerful depiction of migration struggles and the urgent need for international safe and legal passages.
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As topographies of movement, CROSSINGS examines the multiplicity of borders in their ever-changing nature not only geo-politically but technologically, socially and emotionally. Displacement turns the body into a crossroad which represents the essence of criminalising experiences of forced migration. It forces these experiences to be marginalized in private and public spaces, as border surveillance and data control increase and bodies internalize those barriers.
In this current turbulent political climate, CROSSINGS highlights the importance of film as a vehicle to humanise discourses on migration. Trauma, escapism, resilience and activism are all transformed into an ode to community and life.
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the films
The UK’s AI borders: Anduril’s Autonomous Surveillance Towers, dir. Samuel Storey, re-edited by Pixida Films
​On the South-East coast of England, an elusive and secretive physical AI border is being implemented in the form of Anduril Maritime Sentry Towers.
Zodiac, dir. Hans Buyse, 2024, 15:11’
A story about two forty-year-olds, whose friendship and empathetic abilities are put to the test when they go on a fishing trip together and encounter seven drifting refugees in distress in the middle of the sea.
Between a Rock and a Hard Place, dir. Thanos Liberopoulos, 2024, 17:48’
A team of Afghan children in Athens, Greece will take a stand as the Taliban rise in power in their country. English subtitles
Queer Exile, dir. Ahmed Awadalla, 2024, 10:16’
After fleeing Egypt in the wake of the 2011 revolution, an activist seeks refuge in Berlin, yearning for a fresh start and the promise of safety and freedom.
Don’t Take my Joy Away, dir. Omar Gabriel, 2024, 7:11’
Shot in the Shatila Palestinian refugee camp in Lebanon, the film follows two friends who find joy in their daily lives until sudden violence forces them on a perilous journey. English subtitles
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Between Frontiers, dir. Noah Bakour, 2025, 6’
A deeply personal and reflective short film that explores border crossing. Set on a quiet train journey from Wales to England, it reflects on the freedom of movement and the millions who are forced to flee their homes.
What is CROSSINGS?
​CROSSINGS is our creative campaign that humanises stories of migration against restricitve narratives by denouncing border violence in Europe.
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There is very little information accessible about how states manage their borders, and how they deal with people who arrive in Europe and the UK seeking refuge. Media coverage focuses on stories that conceptualise migrant flows as ‘crisis’. As a result, host countries are stuck in loops implementing short-term solutions instead of long-lasting integration of migrants. This results in alarming measures of drastic border control and violence such as push backs or removal policies. Violence towards people attempting to cross borders is barely mentioned and often normalised. Border-crossings become dangerous experiences that increase the precarity of people on the move. For them, this is one more obstacle to finding refuge.
This situation is detrimental to both host countries and people on the move.
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If you are interested in learning more about policies on border-crossing, we recommend resources such as:
We advocate for safe legal passages in Europe.
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We put in conversation experiences that are too often considered sporadic and individual.
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We highlight that migrant crossings are all exposed to violent border control. Whilst each story is unique, people experience similar systemic and oppressive border regimes.
We raise awareness and humanise stories of crossings.
Using film as our compass, we foster reflection, compassion and communication to discuss sensitive topics in a safe space.
We believe that border crossing is an experience that should not add trauma or stigmatise someone and their societal label. paragraphs & more
We are dedicated to a structurally and visually inclusive world. ​We operate with an 'expert by 'experience' approach. We recognise that, to raise awareness on crossings, it is essential to hear from those directly affected by it.
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We support refugee/migrant filmmakers and campaigners to tell their stories. We work with to elevate our campaigners personal and collective voices through creative worskhops.
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Border Violence Monitoring Network (Monitoring Tool)
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Rosa Progressive (Media outlet in Greek)
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Now_You_See_Me_Moria (Grassroot Instagram account)
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PopagandaGR (Greek media outlet, in mixed Greek and English)
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We are Solomon (Greek investigative journalism, also written in English)
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Thedetail.tv (North of Ireland investigative journalism)
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Open Democracy (international investigative journalism)
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Liberty Investigates (UK investigative journalism)
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CROSSINGS 2024 edition
CROSSINGS presents the stories of migrants in their own terms. Each story is unique, just one of a constellation of narratives produced by forced migration into Europe and the UK. Too often, they are recounted in parallel rather than placed in conversation with one another. Experiences of seeking refuge are not limited to a ‘here’ and ‘there’. The ‘in between’ journey to safety also significantly impacts those seeking refuge, as they face numerous obstacles fuelled by anti-immigrant sentiment of the far right.
the films
Only My Voice (2017) dir. Myriam Rey, 11:27’
In transit through Athens, four women from the Middle East share their stories in a poetic and sensory pleasing documentary.
You are Not Home (2022) dir. Derek Ugochukwu, 10:26’
When an ominous mould appears in their room, two African brothers seeking asylum are faced with a dark entity lurking within their direct provision centre.
Ill Fares the Land (2023) dir. Patrick Ireland, 18:17’’
A young boy finds a mermaid washed up on the shores of his seaside home while his older brother is swept up in the rising tide of far-right nationalism.
Ryan (2022) dir. Fridoon Joinda, 4:06’
An asylum seeker, persecuted due to her sexual orientation, had to flee their home country but struggles to make a new one.
Game Over (2022) dir. Saeed Mayahy, 28:24’
In a basement in Istanbul a group of illegal Afghan teenagers are determined to smuggle themselves into Europe – a utopia far away.
Neither Here Nor There (2021) dir. Jawed Taiwan, 6:25’
30 years after his own journey from Afghanistan to safety, filmmaker Jawed reflects on the repeating of history as he helps family find safety again.