“The Strangers’ Case” was filmed in Jordan, Turkey and Greece. It recounts the journey of several refugees from Aleppo in Syria to the island of Lesvos, Greece in the Eastern Aegean Sea.
Amira is a successful pediatric radiologist working in a hospital that is running short of supplies but is never short of blood and suffering. After working a 72-hour shift, she takes her daughter Rasha to her parents to celebrate her birthday. As Rasha and Amira are lighting her birthday cake in the kitchen a rocket is heard approaching and her family in the dining room is gone in a flash of light. Bloodied and trapped under concrete Amira and Rasha are saved and quickly flee Aleppo locked in the trunk of a car and transported close to the Turkish border. At a checkpoint there are loud words heard outside then shots. The trunk is opened and Amira is yanked out of the trunk.
Mustafa is a” loyal soldier” of the Syrian regime. He despises the terrorists and participates in a raid with a secret police commandant arresting a child for scribbling anti-regime graffiti. Along with other “traitors” this child is shot in a public square. Mustafa has difficulty comprehending the slaughter of a child scribbler and he heads off to checkpoint duty with another soldier. The secret police commandant arrives unexpectedly and then a Mercedes appears driven by a captain. The commandant shoots the captain and the trunk is opened and Amira and Rasha appear. The commandant shoots the other soldier and orders Mustafa to pull the trigger and execute Rasha and Amira.
Then we encounter Marwan an African smuggler arranging for very shoddy boat transportation to Greece from Kusadesi, Turkey. The distance is relatively short but without sufficient lifejackets, overloaded boats and faulty outboard motors the trip is dangerous. Marwan has a young son at home and promises him they will leave Turkey soon. It is simply cash (no Amex, VISA or Mastercard) and if they make it or not who cares. He has his money.
And then there is Stavros, the Greek Coast Guard Captain, who has rescued thousands, seen many die some in his arms. He has a lovely wife a fine son but his mind is drifting, he experiences bad dreams and he is likely headed for PTSD. At lunch before a night mission we listen to his friends raise the concerns of many Greeks namely that the country is flooded with refugees that it is not equipped to handle quite like New York City forced to cut police and fire services, education and library cuts as providing 22 hotels and services for migrants flowing up through Mexico (some bussed up to New York courtesy of the State of Texas) is an expensive undertaking.
After a harrowing attempt to cross the dinghy is in serious trouble and some are overboard. But Stavros is there for a rescue and as he unsuccessfully tries to revive a child there is “that look” in his eyes.
Bearing in mind Marwan’s words the government creates the demand and the smugglers handle the supply the film ends with shots of devastated Aleppo and Turkish refugee camps. The supply remains.
There can be many sides on the issue of refugees (or are they economic migrants) and they are not just Syrians flooding into Greece most often the islands of Samos and Lesvos just off the Turkish coast. I have been in Samos several times and seen the German and Greek Coast Guard bring in mostly young men and I have talked to the locals about how they perceive the situation but now is not the time to tell you those stories.
You can see the trailer here https://vimeo.com/914869187
The film shows at the Greek International Film Festival Tour (Canada) from 1-31 October2024 in 11 Canadian cities. For more information visit https//gifft.ca
RKS 2024 Film Rating 95/100.
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