The Crossing

Filmmaker George Kurian follows a group of friends who fled to Egypt in 2012 to escape the war in Syria. Angela and Nabil are journalists, and Rami worked as an IT professional (Nabil is also an oud player and teacher). After participating in a protest against the Syrian government, Nabil was given 10 days to leave the country. Nabil says that he's been stopped by the Cairo police several times even though his papers are in order. Kurian catches up with the three in 2014 when they decide to pay smugglers to help them leave Egypt for Europe. Rami buys a camera to document the experience, which begins with the trio joining other refugees on a bus ride to Alexandria (during which they are carefully concealed). At any point, the authorities can arrest them, which is precisely what happens to their friend, Afaf, and her son, Mustafa (who later end up in Sweden). The rest take boats to Libya, and after days at sea, everyone is filthy from urine, feces, and vomit. Fortunately, they're able to hitch a ride on an oil tanker en route to Genoa. Following a stay in a refugee center, Angela travels to France and then to Belgium to seek asylum with her husband, while Nabil journeys to Germany, and Rami heads for the Netherlands. Nabil's first four months in Berlin are miserable due to language and culture differences, but by the end, all three have managed to put down roots in new countries. In light of recent events, The Crossing is a particularly timely documentary about the plight of Syrian refugees fleeing persecution. Recommended. Aud: C, P. (K. Fennessy)