:: IFFK 2008 ::

Refugee, directed by Reis Celik, was screened at the IFFK 2008 in the competition section. The film deals with refugees from around the world and their experiences at the refugee camp in Germany where they are placed.

The film revolves around Shivan, who is forced to flee his homeland and find refuge in Germany. Shivan's father is a landlord, and his staunch stand against the administration and the guerillas invites their wrath. When they begin to wager with Shivan's life, his father, with the help of an illegal network, sends him to Germany. In the new land he is subjected to an ordeal that changes his outlook and lifestyle forever.

Refugees are the true casualties of war. It has been a recurrent situation in the world for a long time, but little has been done to ease it. The confusion and the loneliness experienced by the refugees are conveyed through the fast superimposition of images in various sequences. Like all refugees, Shivan has no land, no culture and loses even his identity. They are seen as a threat and burden in the country which gives them refuge.

The film reflects on the plight of the refugees caught up in red-tapism and bureaucratic loops. Shivan represents myriad individuals who lead a life of exile; the reality depicted in the film is topical and relevant, its images conveying the core of the crisis of exile. The film seems to convey that there is no promised land for the refugees and sends forth an appeal for their acceptance and for freeing them from the casualties inflicted upon them.