Traveling to new lands can take the form of a worry-free weekend getaway or something much more harrowing. Sadly, many try to find refuge in new lands in extremely dangerous ways. The documentary Drowning Letters tells the story of countless numbers of people who have tried to cross the Mediterranean to reach European shores.
Documentarian Paula Palacios throws out an almost interminable gauntlet to her viewers in telling the story of the Spanish rescue ship Open Arms (one can infer that the name of this ship adds an unreal irony to the proceedings). While seemingly a straightforward documentary, Palacios uses an innovative narrative technique: an ethereal voice, coming from the bottom of the sea.
This voice is used to read letters written by mothers to their children, many of whom become rescued by the workers on Open Arms. The film is a stark portrayal of one of the most tragic periods of modern history. You’re left to wonder: what are these people escaping from that they’d risk their lives in such a way? Is putting their lives on the line in a vast ocean truly worth it? Palacios also takes viewers to Libya aboard a Libyan Coast Guard ship to highlight the abuses of human capture and enslavement. It is an eye-opening documentary, one that highlights a filmmaker with full control.
This is Palacios’s first cinematic feature, yet she has a breadth of experience. Splitting her time between Madrid and Paris, she has produced over twenty-five documentaries for television. She has a special affinity for both migration and the role of women, and both of these shine through in Drowning Letters. The film would work well for students studying the current immigration crisis, political science students, and those interested in a career in humanitarian efforts. A library event focusing on issues in our modern world, as well as workers like those on Open Arms may also find this title useful for a public screening.