Green Border

(2023)

★ 7.3 IMDb · 130 votes

Genres: Drama

Year: 2023

Runtime: 152 мин

Country: Belgium, Czech Republic

Director: Agnieszka Holland

Cast: Jalal Altawil, Майя Осташевская, Behi Djanati Atai, Tomasz Włosok, Mohamad Al Rashi, Dalia Naous, Jaśmina Polak, Моника Фрайчик, Maciej Stuhr, Агата Кулеша

Plot

In the treacherous and swampy forests that make up the so called “green border” between Belarus and Poland, refugees from the Middle East and Africa trying to reach the European Union are trapped in a geopolitical crisis cynically engineered by Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko. In an attempt to provoke Europe, refugees are lured to the border by propaganda promising easy passage to the EU. Pawns in this hidden war, the lives of Julia, a newly minted activist who has given up her comfortable life, Jan, a young border guard, and a Syrian family intertwine.

After moving to Podlasie, psychologist Julia (Maja Ostaszewska) becomes an involuntary witness and participant of dramatic events on the Polish-Belarusian border. Aware of the risks and legal consequences, she joins a group of activists helping refugees camping in the forests in the zone covered by the state of emergency. At the same time, a Syrian family fleeing the civil war and their Afghan teacher, not knowing that they are tools of political fraud by the Belarusian authorities, are trying to get to the borders of the European Union. In Poland, fate will bring them together with Julia and the young border guard Jan (Tomasz Wlosok). The events taking place around them will force them all to ask themselves anew the question - what is humanity?